


Missteps: A D&D Adventure

by VivianZ



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Multi, Original Fiction, Original Universe, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 09:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 140,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14931347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VivianZ/pseuds/VivianZ
Summary: Join seven strangers as they meet, fight, and narrowly avoid death as they travel their world. Some are looking for treasure, some for a payday, and some for a purpose. Using the rules of Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition and the unpredictability of dice, come see where this story goes. Will they be heroes, or just another doomed adventuring group? Updated every two weeks.





	1. 1. The Lonely Spider

**Author's Note:**

> This story uses Dungeons and Dragon 5th Edition rules and the unpredictability of dice. There are two main rules that are followed in the creation of this fic: 1) The dice are the boss. There are no rerolls, what is rolled is what happens, and 2) Follow the printed rules as closely as possible. This ensures that I adhere to fairness and randomness that is the flavor of the game. However, as the author I am allowed one reroll IF the action is so out-of-character that it does not make story sense. This exception is not to be abused, and it isn't. 
> 
> All the characters have character sheets and stats that are consulted constantly. For any question feel free to PM me.

Missteps: A D&D Adventure  
Part One - The Lonely Spider

The Lonely Spider was just like any other Inn you'd find on the edge of the wilderness. The rooms weren't large, the floors were dirty, and the air held a trace of old straw and stale ale with every breath. However, the food was decent, the ale cheap, and the beds were off the ground (for the most part). Situated at the southern edge of the Black Rock Woods, it'd recently seen an uptick in customers as the rumors swirled around the once-lost Dwarven Settlement recently found within the Woods.

Today had been particularly busy as the rain came down in buckets and the wind howled outside. Today had been no day to start a trek. It was about 7 o'clock in the evening now, and the inhabitants were beginning to settle down. Most of the patrons were either heading home or to their rooms or were already slumped in their seats tankards still in hand.

A soft melody played through the air, courtesy of a young Half-elf in a corner of the room. She sat on top of a table, a lute held in her hands. She wore a light blue tunic that plunged just enough to tease and ended just short of indecent. Black leggings concealed the rest of her legs before ending in boots that were folded down to the ankle. Her black hair was gathered in a bun on the top of her head, but some had managed to escape. She seemed to be playing almost on auto-pilot, as her aqua colored eyes were turned to another Half-elf seated at the table next to her.

This Half-elf was hard to miss with his red hair and tanned skin. It was clear that he spent quite a bit of time outdoors, and if his clothes, a dark green tunic covered with simple leather armor, brown pants, and brown woolen cloak, were any indication, he was probably a ranger. A sword hung at his waist, while his quiver and longbow were on the table in front of him. An empty plate, save for a few berries, sat in front of him. While the two Half-elves talked, he would reach up and lightly toss a berry into the bard's mouth while she played.

A few tables away from them sat an Elven maiden. Her blonde hair hung loose save for a single braid. It appeared that she was trying to use her hair to mask the fact that she was listening in on the Half-elf's conversation, but was failing uselessly. She wore a green dress with wide sleeves that ended halfway down her thigh. Knee-high brown boots covered her legs. A dark brown cotton cloak was folded on the table in front of her. A scroll case lay on top it with an etching in the leather, and an untouched tankard sat in front of her.

On the opposite wall, sat a Tiefling with violet red skin. Small curling horns stuck out of his head of light blond hair that was pulled back in a messy ponytail. A small golden hoop earring was in his left ear, and only one word came to mind when you looked at his wardrobe: pockets. His black pants were covered in small pockets, all sealed with equally small buttons. He wore a white tunic with short sleeves, but it was covered with a brown vest that was home to about seven or so more pockets. A backpack sat on the ground next to him. Notably, this Tiefling didn't appear to have a tail. He held a map in his hands and was studying it intently, tracing lines with his hands as he mumbled to himself.

With a sudden slam, the Inn's door was thrown open. A muscled human walked in, dragging a struggling Halfling in behind him. The Halfling was pulling against the human as hard as he could, but the height difference between the two was enough that the Halfling was on his tippy-toes trying to get away. Needless to say he was not winning the battle.

"I refuse to lodge in this dump!" The Halfling said, his already messy brown hair becoming even more of a mess. His dark blue robes that were cuffed in black signaled to everyone that he was a magic user at the very least. A silver necklace with a crystal amulet hung around his neck.

"This is the only inn for a hundred miles." The Human said, his tone almost bored as if they'd had this discussion a million times before. He wore a long-sleeved white tunic (the sleeves bulging from the bulk of his muscles) with a brown fur vest over it. Dark brown pants with brown stout boots adorned his feet. His auburn hair was cut short to his scalp, so short he almost appeared bald, and his face was scruffy. A large warhammer hung at his waist, while he carried two backpacks. For the record, the Wizard carried none.

The large Barbarian reached down and grabbed the Halfling by the scruff of the neck. Before he even knew what was happening to him, the Barbarian had swung the smaller man off his feet and onto a bar stool. Unfortunately the Halfling didn't stay there, for as soon as the Human let go of him the Halfling fell to the ground in a small heap with a small shriek. The Barbarian looked down at him for half a second before turning his gaze to the man behind the bar.

The bartender was trying hard to keep a grin off his face. The two Half-elves in the corner didn't even try, and neither did the Tiefling who'd looked up from his map. The Elven maiden managed to keep the grin off her face, but when the Halfling stood back up (only slightly annoyed that he'd lost his footing, which he blamed on his rather large feet) she did allow the corners of her mouth to curl slightly.

"Sorry for the fuss." The Human said, settling down at the bar himself and laying the packs on the ground.

"Not anything we haven't seen before." The bartender answered. "Did I hear right that you're in need of lodging?"

"That and information." The Human said. "An ale wouldn't be bad either. Want an ale, Ander?" He said, directed at the Halfling who was climbing back into the seat.

"No thank you, Jun." The Halfling said distractedly as he navigated the chair. The stool was proving to be a bigger obstacle than he had anticipated. This spectacle had stolen all thoughts of conversation from the two Half-elves as they both watched the battle.

"What kind of info are you looking for?" The bartender asked as he set a tankard in front of the Human.

"The settlement they found in the woods." Ander answered as he finally managed to get up on the stool.

"The settlement they found in the woods." Ander answered as he finally managed to get up on the stool.

"The Dwarven one?" The bartender asked, as he reached for a rag.

"Have there been any other ancient settlements recently rediscovered in the Black Rock Woods?" Ander asked curiously.

"No, just the Dwarven one." The bartender answered with a tired face.

"Then, that's the one we're looking for." Ander said as satisfaction brought a smile to his lips.

"What kind of info you looking for?"

"How do we get there?" Ander asked.

"You go through the forest." The bartender said non-chalantly.

"How far in the forest?"

"Couple days travel."

"Do we walk or rent horses?" Asked the Halfling, his smile dropping with each subsequent question.

At this point, the bartender dropped the cloth and took a moment to kind of study the Halfing. Finally, he tilted his head and answered. "I'd walk."

"Why?"

"All the horses have already been rented."

"By who?"

"Other travelers."

"What other travelers?" Ander asked, annoyance apparent on his face and his tense shoulders.

"The ones looking for the settlement." Answered the bartender, an amused smile on his face. The once tired eyes were now bright as he wondered how long he could stretch this exchange.

"The Dwarven one?"

"Yes." The bartender said. Ander started to say something else, but Jun covered his mouth with a hand (nearly knocking the Halfling off his seat, again.)

"Do you have anything useful, or do we just go in blind?" Jun said finally, sensing that the bartender wasn't going to end this soon, and seeing that Ander was getting fed up with the conversation.

"I'd recommend going in with Carric. He's a guide and he's been in the woods numerous times." The bartender said. At the mention of his name, the Half-Elf stood up. He exchanged a few words with the bard, asking if she'd watch his weapons and waited for her nod, before making his way over to the group.

"I heard my name." Carric said as he leaned against the bar.

"These people are headed towards the Settlement." The bartender said.

"Really? I've still got room in my group heading out tomorrow." Carric said facing the duo.

"Would you be willing to let us join you?" Ander asked.

"Sure." Carric answered. Just then the Bartender coughed and inclined his head slightly, indicating somewhere behind Carric. Carric glanced back, while Ander and Jun leaned around the side. All of them saw that the Elven maiden's attempt to eavesdrop on their conversation, was still just as bad as before.

"I guess I have room for five or so," Carric said loudly. Instead of drawing out the Elven maiden, his words instead caught the attention of the Tiefling. He quickly rolled up his map, and in one fluid movement stood up and deposited it into one of his many pockets. Picking up his bag he made his way over to the guide.

"Hi," He said when he got close. "My name is Iados." The Tiefling said as he held out his hand. Carric shook the offered hand and introduced himself. Iados then turned to Jun and offered him his hand as well.

"Name's Jun," The Human said as he shook his hand. "This one," He gestured at the Halfling, "is Ander."

"Nice to meet you." Iados said. Turning his attention back to Carric, "Just wondering, what do you charge for your services?"

"That's a very good question." Carric said as he settled himself on a stool. "I'm going to say 8 gold pieces for a round trip. Half now, half when we return."

"Eight gold pieces, are you serious?" Iados asked incredulously. He began feeling all his pockets quickly before he continued. "Anyway you can lessen that?"

"Sorry, but no. Winter's only a couple of months away and I gotta get stocked and ready." Carric said. The ranger turned his attention to Jun. "That alright with you guys?" Jun tilted his head down at Ander who was rummaging in a coin purse.

"Here's eight gold pieces, down-payment for Jun and I." Ander said as he passed the coins over. "When do we leave in the morning?"

"Just after sunup. As he said, it's a two-day journey and we want to use as much sun as possible." Carric said as he pointed at the bartender.

Ander nodded, then turned his attention to the bartender for their lodging and Jun's drink.

Iados meanwhile had returned to his part of the wall. He seemed to be having an internal struggle, and he kept patting several different pockets.

"Excuse me?" A voice said from in front of him, and Iados looked up from his rummaging. There in front of him was the Elven maiden. She smiled at him and held out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Lia. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation." Lia explained. "I think I can help."

"I'm listening." Iados said, giving the beautiful maiden all his attention.

"I'd like to hire you as a bodyguard. This is my first time traveling alone, and to be honest I'd feel better with a guard." Lia explained. "In exchange, I will pay for the guide's services, and reward you with five gold." Iados took a moment to consider the propostion.

"No," He finally said.

"'No'," Lia repeated, slowly. "Why the hell not?"

"Five measly gold for risking my life? No thanks." Iados leaned back against the wall and pulled out a map. Lia took a long look at him, her face scrunched up in thought.

"Okay, guide, five gold, and you can share my room tonight." Lia said, cocking her hip and resting a hand on it. That caught Iados's attention.

"Are you offering what I think you're offering?" He asked, slowly.

"Perhaps, but you'll have to agree to my offer to find out." She said with a grin. Iados's face twisted as he considered her proposal.

"Sorry, but still 'no'."

"8 gold."

"No."

"9 gold?"

"No."

"10 gold?"

"No."

"What will it take for you to say 'yes'!" Lia said, her eyes glaring now at Iados in frustration.

"10 gold for the bodyguard position, you paying for the guide and breakfast with a mug of ale, and that offer to share your room." Iados answered after a short pause. "I'll let you decide where I sleep in that room."

"Fine," Lia said with a nod. Without another word she left to go pay Carric and the bartender who also owned the Inn. Jun and Ander had already disappeared upstairs.

Iados grabbed his bag and went to wait by the stairs for Lia, a happy grin on his face.

The bard in the corner meanwhile, was smiling. She'd stopped playing just to watch the whole scene between the Tiefling and Elf unfold, and had been wholly amused. Now she gathered up her own bag from the floor and met Carric at the table that still held his weapons.

"It seems out little group isn't so little anymore." The bard said as she pulled out a few coins and handed them to Carric. As she did, she saw Lia and Iados head upstairs.

"Yep. I'm glad we've got some fighters among us now." Carric said as he put away the coins before picking up his weapons from the table. "What was your name again?"

"Kerri," the bard said. "You don't think I can handle myself?" Carric took a moment to eye the rapier at Kerri's waist.

"I've no doubt you can handle yourself." He admitted as the duo started heading towards the stairs. "What I'm worried about is what we'll run into. There are a lot of groups heading for the settlement, and even more ready to take advantage of travelers."

"Ah, so that's why you insisted on half upfront," Kerri said as they started climbing the stairs. "Just in case some of us don't make it back." Carric shrugged.

"It's just good business." He said. "We're heading out shortly after dawn, so be ready."

"I will, good night Carric." Kerri said before she headed down the short hall to the room she'd been provided. Not for the first time, Kerri was glad she could pay with a song.

Carric repeated the sentiment and disappeared into his own room. Walking in, he really hoped the sounds coming through the wall were those of someone's snores


	2. Day One

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

_Chapter Two - Day One_

The next morning, everyone gathered as dawn broke. Iados was bright and cheerful, though he was pulling a sleepy-eyed Lia behind him, her hair still messed from her slumber. He guided her to the table where they all sat together for breakfast and slowly she woke up as the smell of meat and biscuits hit her nostrils.

"How did everyone sleep?" Carric asked as he dug in. Everyone mumbled responses as they ate quickly, all eager to get on the road. "Good, once the snoring from the room next to me died down I was able to get some good sleep."

"I apologize for Jun." Ander said. He was sitting on his pack at the table so that he could actually see his food. "I keep telling him to let me do a silence spell on him, but he says no."

"It wasn't me," Jun said, his bowl of oatmeal already half empty. "You kept mumbling in your sleep, and I was so afraid you were casting spells in your sleep that I came down here and slept on a table." Jun explained. "I went back in the room to wake you up."

"Then who was the snorer?" Kerri asked. "We need to find out now, so that I know who to sleep the furthest from." The bard smiled in amusement.

"I'm not so sure you heard snores, Kerri." Jun said, a grin spreading over his face. "When I left the room last night, I could hear two distinct voices making some ruckus." Jun looked over at Lia and Iados, who weren't making eye contact with anyone else. Lia's face was beginning to turn red.

"You heard us?" Iados finally asked as he looked up. "I told Lia she should keep it down, but obviously she didn't listen." Iados explained as he scooped up the last spoonful in his bowl.

"I did try to keep it down," Lia hissed at Iados. She'd gathered her hair and was currently using it to hide behind. "You're the one who pinned me against the wall."

"I was afraid we'd break the bed." Iados said. "You have to admit, the frame on the bed did not look sturdy. Besides, I didn't hear any complaints at the time. The exact opposite actually."

Lia brushed her hair back and was about to say something when Carric very loudly cleared his throat. Kerri, who had been watching the scene unfold with glee visibly deflated as Lia backed down. "As much fun as this is to watch, we need to get going. So, everyone finish up and meet me outside in ten."

Everyone finished their food and one by one assembled outside. Lia was the last one outside, she hadn't realized Iados had taken hers and his bags when he'd left the table. Five scrambled minutes later she'd arrived outside and they started their trek.

Carric obviously took the lead, with Kerri by his side. They chatted quietly and every once in a while Carric would point out a flower or a bird to her. Ander shuffled along behind them, his nose stuck in a book as he softly muttered the words to himself. Behind him walked Iados and Lia, her quarterstaff being used as walking stick. They too were chatting, mostly about whatever random object Iados happened to find in his pockets. Everything from a small map of the area, to a seashell he'd picked up on a beach half a world away. When they noticed it, they would reach out and lightly push Ander left or right as to avoid any major obstacles. Bringing up the rear of the party was Jun, his eyes scanning their surroundings, his warhammer within easy distance of his hand.

The party didn't run into trouble until a few hours into their trek. They just crested over a small hill, when Iados suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Hold up!" Iados called out to Carric, as he looked over off the trail.

"What do you see?" Lia asked, straining to see what he saw.

"There's a wagon over there," Iados said. "Looks like it's overturned."

"Do you see anyone in it?" Carric asked, as he came to stand next to Iados. He too saw the wagon, upside-down with one of its wheels still turning.

"No, but we should go check it out."

The whole party left the trail and approached the wagon about a 100 ft away. As they got closer, they could see the wagon was half-buried in the dirt. Carric began checking the ground for tracks, while Jun, Kerri, and Lia all step closer to the wagon. Iados and Ander hung back, looking around the area a bit.

Jun had just rounded the far corner of the wagon, when something caught his eye and he stepped back, immediately pulling his warhammer.

"Woah!" Kerri jumped back. She'd been following the Barbarian. "What's going on?" She asked, but Jun's attention wasn't on her or their party. His eyes were focused on the tree surrounding them.

Suddenly an arrow came from behind Iados and came close to skewering his skull. Instead it buried itself deep in the wagon with a loud thud. On cue, two bandits dropped from a nearby tree. They were dressed in ragged pants with basic leather armor that was worn and thin in numerous places. In their hands were scimitars, the blades sharp and gleaming. The sharp edges seemed to be the only part they cared about as blood flecked the rest of the dark metal.

"Why don't we try talking first?" Kerri asked as she took a step back, pulling out her rapier. As if in answer, another arrow came whizzing out of the trees. Thankfully the shot was wide and didn't hit anyone as it sailed into the grass behind her and Jun.

"I don't think words are going to work." Jun answered as he focused on the bandits. Kerri didn't press the issue any further. Instead she ducked down behind the wagon, singing some _Bardic Inspiration_ for the Barbarian.

_"These bandits are low,_

_This bandit's a hoe._

_Scream like a lion,_

_And they'll be cryin'!"_

Jun grinned as the _Inspiration_ washed over him.

Iados, reeling from the adrenaline of almost being shot, pulled his shortsword and rushed forward at the closest bandit. This bandit had a hooked nose with a scar across it. Iados swung the sword up and got a glancing blow off the bandit's arm. As the bandit pulled his arm back, grimacing in pain, Iados sent a powerful front kick into his midsection. In response, the bandit swung out with his scimitar, catching Iados's side. The blade sliced into the flesh with a sickening squelch as it dug deep. Nothing could stop Iados from howling in pain as the bandit pulled it out with a rough tug.

Attempting to cover that side, Iados swung out with his shortsword, but the bandit was ready and easily dodged it. However, the bandit nearly fell as he stepped in a gopher hole and stumbled.

Kerri stuck her head back over the wagon and saw Iados's predicament. Standing straight up, she started screaming at the bandit in Elvish, words that even the pretty language couldn't disguise as nice. The bandit's face screwed up in pain as the _Vicious Mockery_ spell cut him. Switching back to Common after she finished the tirade of insults, Kerri turned her attention to the injured Tiefling.

_"What are you doing?_

_Why aren't you fighting?_

_Get up already_

_And make him deady!"_ Kerri sang, her voice going up several octaves to inspire Iados. Lia, upon hearing the word 'deady' sent a confused sideways glance towards the Half - Elf.

"Let's see you come up with a better rhyme right now." Kerri snapped as she crouched back down behind the wagon, rapier still in hand. Lia gave a small laugh.

With the _inspiration_ still ringing in his ears, Iados faced the bandit, ready to end this. He attacked the hooked nose bandit one final time. The blade went right through the armor, skewering his midsection. Iados brought up his leg and used a mighty kick to free his sword. The bandit cried out in pain before falling back, lifeless, to the ground as the blood seeped from the wound.

Carric, meanwhile, had pulled out his longbow and taken aim at the bandit who was quickly advancing on Jun. This bandit had wide-set eyes and an unkempt unibrow. The arrow uselessly glanced off the bandit's armor.

Ignoring Carric's assault, the unibrowed bandit gave a loud yell and rushed Jun. As the bandit's scimitar swung past him, Jun's face broke out into one of pure glee. With a guttural growl, the barbarian _Rage_ overtook him. The growl turned into a full-fledged roar as Jun brought his warhammer down on the bandit's shoulder. The shoulder visibly collapsed and the bandit was forced to his knees with a pain-filled grunt. His eyes cold and thirsty for blood, the bandit stood up and switched his scimitar to his other hand.

"You'll pay for that." The bandit said in between labored gasps.

"Not from you." Jun answered as he pulled back and swung his Warhammer once more, this time aiming for the bandit's chest. The bandit barely had time to get out a squeak before his chest collapsed from the force. He was dead before he hit the group with a hard thump.

Carric, seeing Jun dispatch Unibrow, turned to help Iados instead. As he repositioned to get a better view with his bow, his foot sank deep into a hidden hole. The arrow sailed harmlessly over the bandit's head as Carric fell. Thankfully the foot wasn't injured, only his pride.

Lucky for the party, Lia had been staring in the right direction when the arrow was shot out at Kerri and Jun. She saw a bandit peek out from the trees close to where the other had dropped down from. With a grin, she reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a thorn-lined rose stem. She whispered a small word and the stem lengthened into a whip. Focusing on the spot where she'd seen the bandit, she lashed out with her _Thorn Whip_. The vine wrapped around the bandit's neck. Lia tugged hard, and with a cry the bandit came falling out of the tree.

The bandit pulled the whip off his neck angrily. His neck was pockmarked with small punctures and cuts from the whip. It almost looked like he was a wearing a bloody necklace. Pissed, the bandit pulled out his scimitar and rushed Lia. It was easy enough for the Elf to sidestep the attack.

Lia, her quarterstaff clenched in her hands, swung with her strength and hit the bandit square in the nose with a crunch. He just crumpled to the ground.

Ander meanwhile, noticing the first arrow had come from behind him, turned and found a very large tree. There weren't any other trees or hills around it within range, so Ander guessed that the shooter must be in it. Facing the tree, he formed a ball of orange fire in his hand and hurled a _Fire Bolt_ at the canopy. The tree was immediately engulfed in flames as the leaves caught quickly. The final bandit dropped out, landing on his feet as he furiously patted himself down. His clothing was singed, and as still burning leaves started to rain down on him, he danced away from the tree.

Needless to say, the bandit wasn't happy. His drew his scimitar, his longbow nowhere in sight, and rushed the Halfling. Ander wasn't quick enough, and the blade traced a line of red across his chest as his robes were cut.

Ander gave a small wince of pain before it was replaced by a wicked smile. Backing up half a step, he brought his hands out in front of him, with his thumbs touching. _Burning Hands_ shot out in a cone of fire from his small hands, hurtling straight towards the bandit.

Luckily for the bandit, he was already alert to any pyrotechnics from the small wizard. He was already jumping straight up as Ander brought his hands together. Given the height difference, he figured getting higher than the Halfling was a smart move. He still took some damage, but at most his legs were singed a bit more as the bottom half of his pants legs just crumpled into ash.

Now thoroughly pissed off, the bandit lunged down at the wizard with his blade. However, between the rage in his eyes, the smoke coming off the tree, and Ander just being so short, the blade swung harmlessly over Ander's head.

Ander pulled a dagger out of his belt and attempted to disembowel the bandit rather than waste anymore spells. Seeing as he wasn't used to such melee fighting though, the dagger did nothing as the bandit's armor did its job.

Carric, back on his feet from the hole, attempted to fire two arrows at the singed bandit, who was the only remaining bandit at that point, but unfortunately both shots missed.

Kerri, seeing there was only one opponent left and he was already looking rough, popped up from behind the wagon and rushed over towards him. Gathering all her strength, she plunged her rapier into his chest. Not only did she manage to hit him, but the rapier buried itself in his chest a few inches. With a low grunt, the bandit collapsed on the ground, the rapier still in his chest. Kerri was so stunned with herself, she just let the rapier go.

After putting his bow away, Carric walked over and attempted to pull the rapier out, to no avail. Seeing Carric struggle to pull the sword out, Jun walked over. He gently pushed Carric aside, and in one motion, reached down and pulled the sword out like it was nothing. He wiped the blade on his pants before returning it to Kerri.

Iados in the meantime, once he saw his opponent wasn't about to stand back up and that the fighting was done, sat down heavily. Blood flowed steadily out of the wound on his side. Lia rushed over to him. Kneeling next to him, she muttered softly in his ear, and he felt a warmth rush over him as his injury healed and himself grow stronger.

"Thanks," Iados said as Lia helped him stand up.

"You're welcome," Lia said.

Ander meanwhile, once his opponent had gone down for the count immediately began going through the man's pockets and was systematically doing the same on all four bandit bodies. All in all he managed to scavenge five gold pieces from all of them.

"You planning on sharing?" Jun asked as he watched Ander count his loot. In response, Ander tossed the Barbarian a single gold coin.

"That's all that was on yours." Ander explained as he put the coins in his purse.

"What about this bastard?" Iados asked as he kicked the foot of the one he'd been fighting. Without missing a beat, Ander shook his head.

"His pockets were empty," Ander lied. He'd just pulled two gold of that body, Iados didn't challenge him though.

While the boys talked money, Lia had turned her attention to the burning tree. With a large sigh, she walked closer to the tree. Dipping her finger in her waterskin, she used a droplet of water to make a small raincloud appear in the sky, and with a verbal command used the rain to extinguish the flames. The sound of hissing filled the air as the water hit the burning leaves.

Kerri walked over to Ander and sat down on the ground next to him as he watched the tree get rained on.

"Why'd you torch the tree?" Kerri asked.

Ander shrugged. "Seemed like the easiest way to get the guy out."

"You could have used ' _Thorn_ _Whip_ ' like Lia did." Kerri argued, but Ander shook his head.

"' _Thorn Whip_ ' isn't in my spellbook, besides, that's a Druid spell. I'm a wizard." He explained bringing out a small leather bound book. Various bits of paper seemed to be protruding from all angles, even curiously enough the spine.

"And I'm a bard," Kerri said. "To me, magic is magic."

"It appears you have a lot to learn then." Ander said as he stowed his book away. He suddenly wondered how old this girl was. He'd never been very good at guessing ages, and human ages seemed so weird to him. "Not all magic is the same." Ander stretched his arms up and suddenly winced. He'd forgotten about the injury he'd received across his chest.

Kerri reached over and inspected the wound. "That looks like it hurts." She said softly. As she spoke, Ander felt that same warmth Iados felt wash over him, and his wound closed.

"Thank you," Ander said, and Kerri smiled.

Jun was sitting by the wagon, using it to support his back, as he went through some deep breathing exercises. His fists were clenched as he worked to come down off his _Rage_.

Carric was scuttling around nearby, collecting his arrows.

"You might want to try to keep that _Rage_ up." Carric said as he picked up his last arrow.

"It doesn't work like that." Jun said, his eyes closed. "I have to be in active combat. Something about life or death situations."

"That might happen sooner than you think." Carric answered as he came to lean on the wagon next to Jun. "There's all sorts of creatures in these woods. Why do you think it's taken so long for people to find this old Dwarven settlement in the first place?"

"It wasn't creatures who attacked us." Jun replied, opening his eyes and unclenching his fists.

"True, lately there have been treasure hunters and scavengers around."

"It was a good idea making this journey with a large party." Jun said as he stood up and observed the other party members.

Carric gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, that and insisting on half upfront."

Jun gave a small laugh at that statement as well. With that the two men gathered their other members and got ready to head out again. Carric reminded all of them that they still had a long way to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went ahead and posted this chapter a little early. Fanfiction.net is a bit ahead of this site so I'm trying to catch this up without overwhelming. Hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Continuing On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think of this latest installment! Till next time.

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

_**Chapter Three - Continuing On  
** _

With the bandits taken care of, Carric advised that they leave the area quickly. He'd spotted some wildlife tracks while he was collecting his arrows that were still somewhat fresh. Within minutes the group were back on the road, so to speak, as Carric led the way deeper into the forest. Their journey was silent as they walked.

Jun, Iados, and Carric were no strangers to combat. In each of their lives they'd come into situations where it was kill or be killed. They'd learned long ago not to linger, and to continue on. That doesn't mean though they don't remember what it was like to take a first life, and it's that memory that sits at the forefront of their minds as they keep an eye on the others in their party.

Being the apprentice to a magic user, and living in a community of magic users, is not safe by any stretch of the imagination. The outside world might believe differently, but those inside know better. You have youngsters and young adults being given access to power to reshape reality and manipulate elements. Adults and elders who are so secure in their power and position that they attempt the most dangerous of spells without a thought to safety. No, Ander was no stranger to death, he wasn't even a stranger to someone being the target of his spells. This had been the first time though that his opponent had died at his hand. It irked him just a bit at how much he wasn't irked by the thought that he'd killed someone.

Lia, in training with her Uncle, learned early on that combat was inevitable. In some form or another, she was trained to first protect her mission (be it knowledge, item, or person) and then herself. She was counseled that if it came down to it, her opponent was to be put down. Their mission and what they represent was the most important. For the first time her training was put to use, and she knew that fight was just the beginning.

The person least equipped to be in battle and kill someone: Kerri. She'd learned to fight first for the stage, but then as a way to try to connect with various boyfriends who'd wanted to show off. She knew that by heading out here she'd get into fights, but she hadn't fully come around to the idea of killing someone. She wasn't even sure it'd really hit her yet. Not for the first time, she wished she'd waited for her friend.

Feeling a little hungry, the group snacked on some wild berries while walking as Carric wasn't satisfied that they were far enough from the fresh bodies just yet.

"You fought well Iados." Jun said as he came up behind the Tiefling and set a large hand on his shoulder.

"Right back at you," Iados said with a smile. "Not you're first time with that Warhammer I'm wagering."

"Ha ha, no. I've been in many a battle with my Warhammer." Jun answered as the two of them fell into step at the end of the party. "Can't say I've been in too in many battles with a bard though. Magic users, of course, but a bard is different."

"Did she really do much besides sing?" Iados asked. "My memory is a little hazy."

"There's no shame in going down like you did. You fought hard." Jun reassured the shorter man. "She did swing her rapier and finish off one of the bandits. We probably shouldn't count out that singing of hers either. She sang me a short song, if that's what you'd call it, and I felt…. inspired, I suppose. Something happened at the very most."

"Alright." Iados shrugged. "I'm still going to keep a look out."

"You know who we should be worried about?" Jun asked. "Carric." Jun turned his attention to the Ranger who was in conversation with Kerri. "He didn't seem to hit much with that longbow of his."

"He handled the bow well though, I was able to see that much. Maybe he had cold feet or performance issues. We've all been there."

"Perhaps," Jun said. The two continued talking, with the conversation turning towards how they were going to get the blood stains out of their clothes.

Carric steered the group a few hours later towards a small stream with hearty trees surrounding it and set them down for a proper meal. While the members rested, he headed into the woods intent on catching some lunch. All he was able to catch unfortunately was one squirrel.

"Sorry," Carric said as he came back towards the group and presented his catch.

"That's alright," Lia said as she took the squirrel from Carric. "We all ate a lot of berries earlier, so this will be fine." She went to work skinning the rabbit, while Ander chopped some dry rations and added them to a small pot of water they had bubbling on a fire. It wasn't going to be the heartiest of soups, but it would work.

Kerri sat down next to Iados who had taken off his vest and was inspecting the blood stain. Without a word, she held her hand up over the stain and softly whispered " _Prestidigitation_ ". As soon as the word left her lips, the stain began to disappear until it had vanished completely. She passed her hand over all the blood stains on his person, then wordlessly went over to Jun and the others until the blood was gone.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Carric asked.

"I forgot I could." Kerri answered, sitting down. "I only learned it a few months ago."

"So you haven't been doing magic long?" Ander asked as he watched Lia add sparse squirrel meat to the soup. Kerri shook her head.

"I'd only just begun to learn the basics before I left home." Kerri answered. "I only know about four spells right now."

"I remember when I use to know only four." Lia said as she sat down next to Kerri. "Why'd you leave home?"

Kerri just shrugged, "Reasons,".

Everyone turned to look at her, curiosity and suspicion written on their faces.

"Did you kill someone?" Ander asked softly.

"No, nothing like that." Kerri reassured him. "I got caught making out with the Crown Prince in a broom closet."

Silence followed for about a minute before howls of laughter rang out, mainly from Jun.

"They exiled you just for making out?" Lia asked, concern etched all over her face, the only one not laughing. Carric had even cracked a grin as he'd hung his head.

"He was the Crown Prince, and I was just the daughter of an entertainer. Besides, it's not like we were in love or anything, we were just messing around." Kerri explained with another shrug. "Officially it's not even an exile, I was just asked to leave the Kingdom and strongly encouraged not to return."

"So, what are you doing here then?" Carric asked while Ander and Lia were ladled out the soup to everyone.

"I'm a bard in a new land, and I figured I could find some new tales to sing about and make a name for myself." Kerri answered as she accepted her bowl. This answer seemed satisfactory and they all delved quickly into their meal. Once the meal was finished, Kerri used her _Prestidigitation_ to clean the pot, bowls, and utensils. Jun quickly banked the fire. Iados and Carric collected everyone's waterskins and headed down a short distance on the stream till they found an easy place to refill them.

It took no time at all to collect the water, but as they headed back, they saw a band of four goblins come up towards the stream from the opposite side. The two of them immediately ducked down into the tall grass and headed quickly back over to the group. Luckily there were bushes blocking the rest of their party from sight.

Once they'd joined back up, Carric motioned for everyone to quietly leave as Iados whispered about the Goblins. The members immediately gathered up their packs and kept low. Attempting to leave the small space though proved very difficult.

Kerri, in her rush to leave, managed to bump into the small Halfling, who then in turn grabbed onto the back of Iados's pants in an effort to regain his balance. Iados stumbled back for a second before he'd managed to regain his balance, only for Lia to shoot a hand out behind her and grab his hand. She yanked him hard forward, which caused Ander to be pulled forward after he'd just regained his balance. Kerri instinctively reached out to settle the Halfling. Thankfully the cycle didn't repeat, but unfortunately the small gasps, the sound of their gear rustling, and the foliage around them shaking drew the attention of the Goblins who started making their way towards the group.

Jun, who had managed to make it out of the foliage, grabbed his Warhammer from his side and began charging towards the Goblins with a mighty roar.

Iados, taking the roar as a sign to fight, jumped over the smallest of the bushes blocking them in with no problem. He pulled his shortsword and rushed towards the closet Goblin. The Goblin was shirtless, his green skin punctuated with small injuries here and there.

Iados swung with his sword, but he knew it would miss. As the Goblin easily evaded it, Iados followed the swing around, twisting his body to bring his leg up in a meaty kick to the face. That hit. The Goblin clutched his now bleeding nose. The Goblin said something in his language, and a second Goblin (this one with a shirt) joined him against the Tiefling.

The shirtless Goblin reached out with his sword but didn't connect. His friend though picked up the slack as he aimed for Iados's legs. The scimitar sliced into the leg, leaving a red gash in its wake. Iados gave a cry of pain.

With two people out of the narrow space, Kerri was able to turn and face the battle. She saw Iados outnumbered and attempted to _Charm Person_ the shirtless foe. Unfortunately he didn't seem to be affected in the slightest.

Lia, hearing Iados cry out, shoved her way next to Kerri. Focusing also on the shirtless Goblin, she threw a cloud of _Poison Spray_. The green cloud of noxious gas engulfed the Goblin. He began to violently cough and sputter, stepping back away from combat, even collapsing down to one knee. The cloud lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to hurt.

While he was engulfed in the cloud, Carric took that moment to shoot out with his bow. Timing though was not on his side. As Carric let the arrow fly, the Goblin went down on his knee. The arrow passed harmlessly over his head. Carric cursed and moved to a new position.

As the noxious gas filled the space next to him, Iados's eyes watered. He swung his blade back to where he last saw his opponent before he was engulfed, but the Goblin had already moved out of the way.

Jun, _Rage_ already in his eyes, joined up with Iados. He aimed for the easiest target, the shirtless Goblin who'd just been gassed. As the Goblin stood back up, Jun swung his Warhammer like a bat. With a crack the hammer connected with the Goblin's head. He twisted and collapsed like a rag doll.

The other Goblin, enraged to see one of his own go down, swung out at Iados once again. The blade sliced into Iados's side, the same one that had healed not too long ago. As the Goblin wrenched his blade free, Iados's knees buckled and he fell forward, unconscious.

Seeing Iados go down, the two females locked gazes and nodded. Kerri darted out, and using Jun as a shield, kneeled down next to Iados and hooked her arms under his. As she got to ready to pull Iados, she sang a little song for Jun.

" _Come on Man,_

_Beat him down!_

_Come on Man,_

_Make him drown!"_

Jun, feeling the inspiration of the chant, swung at the Goblin. He connected in the Goblin's side, taking the Goblin's breath away. However the Goblin soon got it back as he brought his scimitar up and slashed up Jun's torso. A thin led of red was seen as his clothes were torn. Jun didn't even wince.

With one fell swoop, Jun brought his hammer down one final time on the Goblin. He cried out and crumpled like a wet rag.

Kerri, teeth gritted, lugged Iados's still body back to Lia. The Elf immediately laid her hands on his chest and cast _Cure Wounds_.

The other two Goblins both took up positions along the bank of the stream and readied their short bows. One of them had a top-knot of brown hair tied to his head, while the other wore a yellow bandana across their face. Top-Knot was the first to take aim and fire an arrow at Carric. Carric didn't even have to move as it missed and buried itself in the tree next to him. However, the near-miss of the shot was enough to encourage him to crouch down and move. Not a moment too soon either as Bandana's shot at him missed as well.

Finally, Ander, who had crawled his way between Kerri's legs and around the brush, stood up and pulled a small twig out of his belt pouch. He quickly cast _Witch Bolt_ at the first Goblin he saw. His aim wasn't quite right though, as the spell went too far left and missed the Bandana Goblin.

Catching his full attention, Bandana was quick to fire an arrow at Ander. The arrow hit the Halfling in the arm, causing Ander to hiss in pain.

In response, Ander reached out with other arm and extended a hand towards his favorite Goblin. A ghostly, skeletal hand burst forth as Ander mumbled the words for _Chill Touch_. The ethereal hand wrapped itself around its target, restraining him as it sucked away part of the Goblin's life force.

Carric, who had moved closer to Ander as he saw the arrow hit the Halfling, shot off another arrow. Once again though, timing was not on his side, as the ghostly hand shot out. Carric was surprised, and instead of embedding itself in a Goblin, the arrow dived into the stream.

After Bandana broke out of the hand with a grunt, both Goblins brought their bows up and aimed at Carric. One arrow buried itself in his leg, while the other one grazed his side just under his armor. Carric reached down and broke the arrow shaft off the one in his leg. He readied himself for another shot, telling himself that if he didn't hit something soon, he was going to drop bow and pull sword.

Now that Carric was the target, Ander decided that the Ranger made an excellent shield. He quickly moved in behind Carric. Mumbling once again, the Wizard formed a bright green bubble of liquid in his hand. Leaning around Carric's leg, Ander hurled the bubble at the Bandana Goblin. The bubble of _Acid Splash_ popped on impact, causing the Goblin to scream as the acid ate away at his skin. The now signature yellow bandana was quickly wrenched from his face.

Standing up after depositing Iados at Lia's feet, Kerri called out to Carric.

_"You've got the eyes,_

_Say good-bye,_

_Shoot your arrow,_

_And say hi to Pharaoh."_ She sang to the Ranger as she pulled her rapier out.

Carric felt the _Inspiration_ surge into his muscles. However, his attention was pulled away from combat for a moment as he wondered who 'Pharaoh' might be. The mystery still in his head, Carric fired his bow and missed his shot so much that you couldn't tell which Goblin he'd been aiming for. With a disgruntled mutter, Carric dropped his bow and pulled out his sword.

Top Knot, seeing Carric looking rough in terms of mood and appearance, fired another arrow at him. This time Carric was caught in the arm, and the Ranger passed out unconscious with a thud.

Bandana, though without the bandana, put the Halfling in his sight and fired another arrow. Ander was just barely able to dodge out of the way.

His mind racing, the Halfling drew a dagger and immediately after ran back to the girls. Hiding behind Lia, he attempted to catch his breath.

"I'm out of spells." Ander informed Lia breathlessly.

"How'd you run out of cantrips?" Lia asked him, for the first time noticing the arrow still sticking out of Ander's arm.

"This wound hurts so blasted much that I can't remember any of them right now!" Ander answered, slight panic entering his voice as he got his breath back.

Kerri, feeling slightly panicked due to Ander's small panic attack, helped Iados to his feet. Without a word, all three of them, Kerri, Lia, and Iados, headed towards the last two Goblins. The girls skirted around the stream before crossing, while Iados just waded straight through. Iados came up right in front of Top-Knot.

Seeing how he was so close, Top-Knot threw his shortbow to the side and drew his scimitar. Lashing out, he managed to clip Iados in the side.

The girls entering the fray invigorated the _Rage_ within Jun. He roared and rushed towards the remaining Goblins as well.

Iados swung out with his attacks again, bou\h the roar from Jun behind him jarred him and he missed. Nothing like a Barbarian roar to rattle you to your core.

Now that Ander wasn't in his line of sight, No-More-Bandana turned his attention towards the Bard barreling towards him. He raised his bow and shot. The arrow ripped through the soft muscle of Kerri's arm.

Pausing for only a moment, Kerri finally made it to her target. She swung out with her rapier but missed. Lia came up behind Kerri, bringing her quarterstaff up in an attempt to hit. She missed.

Deciding to be fair, No-More-Bandana decided to go after Lia this time. Since both girls were too close for his bow, he threw his bow at the girls and drew his sword. Bringing the hilt up due to the close-quarters, he struck Lia in the head. She didn't even gasp as she fell back unconscious.

Seeing Lia fall, Ander took a deep breath and came out of hiding.

Kerri moved to cover the unconscious Lia and swung out with her rapier. The Goblin actually laughed as he merely side-stepped away.

Jun, leaving Top-Knot to Iados, dashed over to Kerri's side and felled the laughing Goblin with one blow. Jun didn't even wait for the body to hit the ground before he'd already turned his attention to the remaining Goblin.

Iados and Top-Knot traded a few more blows before the Goblin did get one final hit in to Iados's side that dropped the Tiefling.

Kerri stepped over Iados, and just like she'd done with the Bandit before, skewered the last Goblin with her rapier. This time she was able to pull out her own sword, though she pointedly didn't look at the little bits of guts clinging to it.

"Go check on Carric!" Ander barked at Kerri as he ran back to where they'd dropped their packs and pulled out a small bag. He ran back to Lia. He began pulling out different herbs and liquids, quickly mixing them together into a simple potion and pouring it into Lia's mouth. Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned. Ander then moved on to Iados and poured the same potion into his mouth with the same results.

Kerri quickly made her way over to Carric's still form and was relived to find him lying there with his eyes open. He gave a small smile as she knelt down to him.

"What did you mean by 'Pharaoh'? He asked weakly as Kerri helped him sit up.

"'Pharaoh' was the name of my dog when I was kid. He died." Kerri explained with a soft chuckle. "Hey, Carric?"

"Yeah?" The Ranger said as he rolled his shoulder and was rewarded with a loud crack.

"Does it get better?" She asked quietly. "Killing?"

Carric stopped stretching and looked at the young girl before him. "Unfortunately, the more you do it the better you get." He answered. "There comes a point though where you either let your actions consume you, or you face it and move on. Whether we like it or not, we live in a land where killing and death are a part of everyday life. We just have to make sure we kill for the right reasons, usually in self-defense."

"How do you cope though? I've killed twice now, and my stomach is all twisted up in knots."

"It's up to you to find a way to cope. Some people turn to religion, some people talk it out, some people just accept it and move on." Carric answered as he stood up. "The answer you're looking won't come immediately, but it will come eventually." He offered up his hand and pulled Kerri to her feet. "In the meantime, if you want to talk, I'm here."

"Thanks, I'll be taking you up on that." She said. She was about to say something else but got interrupted.

"Well, that was fun." Jun said loudly as he looked over the battlefield. Once Iados had regained consciousness, Ander had begun looting the bodies. He came up with barely three gold.

"If you call running out of spells and having two people go down 'fun', then it was a hoot." Ander said as he went over and began packing up his kit. Lia had already packed up most of it for him. "We need to rest before we head on."

"I wholeheartedly agree." Iados said, still lying on the ground. His whole body hurt. Not as much as it did, but there was still a dull ache. "Did I least look cool when I went down?"

"Which time?" Kerri asked as she and Carric joined the rest of the group. They were dragging along everyone's packs.

"He went down more than once?" Carric asked. "I thought I was the only one having an off day."

"Iados got put down twice," Jun explained, a grin breaking out on his face. "He fought hard though, you all did."

"I suggest we take a quick rest here, and then continue out." Carric said. "Night falls quickly and early this time of year."


	4. Campfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter! Drop me to a line to let me know how I'm doing or what you think! Also, thank you for reading!

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

_**Chapter Four - Campfire  
** _

After the quick rest, everyone headed out. Carric set a quick pace that got them far away from the battlefield.

A couple of hours later, the shadows began growing longer and the group started looking for a place to spend the night. Carric had to take them off the beaten path quite some ways before he found a suitable place.

Since no one had any tents, it didn't take them long to set up camp. Carric once again went hunting, this time coming back with three big rabbits. Lia and Ander set about skinning and preparing dinner.

Jun quietly pulled Iados aside outside of earshot of the others.

"You almost died." Jun stated as he looked down slightly down at Iados. There were only about two inches differences, but Jun's gaze made Iados feel small. In the shadows, Iados's green eyes popped out of the darkness as the rest of him blended him with the dark.

"I know, I was there." Iados gave a large grin. "As you said, I went down fighting."

"You did, but today alone you've been knocked unconscious three times. I've seen you prone more than I've seen you fight." The Barbarian's voice was stern. "I'm going to have to insist that for the next fight, you either wear armor or you stay out of the fray."

"Lia hired me as her bodyguard, just as Ander hired you." Iados said, his eyes sharpening.

"Then wear the armor and do the job then." Jun crossed his arms. "A bodyguard can't do their job if their dead."

"And if I refuse to wear armor?" Iados countered, crossing his arms.

"Then you will die in the next fight." Iados didn't have a comeback for that. He turned on his heel and headed back to the light of the campfire. Lia and Ander were mounting the rabbits on sticks, and he wordlessly sat down and offered help.

"Question: where were you planning on getting this armor?" Carric asked as he came up silently behind Jun. He settled against the tree, relaxed, a hand on the shortsword at his waist.

"I figured I could take it off one of the girls." Jun turned to look at the half-elf, masterfully hiding the fact that he hadn't heard Carric approach.

"Hmm, I'd like to see you try." Carric chuckled softly to himself. Jun didn't seem as amused and the conversation dwindled into an uncomfortable silence as the two of them stared wordlessly at each other.

"Is it my turn for a lecture from the big strong Barbarian?" Carric finally asked, the smile falling from his face/ Jun considered him for a half-second before he shook his head.

"Your aim is horrible, but you're not on the edge of dying every time. Your job here is to be a guide for the group."

"Not real big on the compliments, are you?" The Ranger patted the Barbarian on the shoulder as left to the join the rest at the campfire. The smell of roasting meat was beginning to permeate the air.

Jun took a couple of minutes to just take in this new group of his. Kerri had pulled out her lute and was currently singing an upbeat song about the wonders of new lands. Lia and Ander were arguing about the doneness of the rabbits, with Ander leaning more towards the rarer side. Carric had pulled a few sprigs of something out of the ground and was silently sprinkling it on the meat where it stuck to the remaining moist bits. Iados watched the debate with a ghost of a smile on his face, while his hand reached into a pocket and pulled out a marble. Almost unconsciously he began rolling the marble around his fingers with remarkable dexterity.

"Jun! Food's ready!" Ander called out to the Barbarian with a wave and he headed over.

"So, why in the world is everyone seemingly headed towards this Settlement?" Kerri asked as Jun sat down.

"Because of the legend attached to it." Carric pulled out a small pouch of berries he'd picked earlier and passed the bag around.

"What legend?" Kerri asked as she took a few of them. "All I heard was that it'd been lost for a hundred years or so, and a religious order had been stationed there."

"The legend is about the religious order." Ander explained as he and Lia passed the meat around. "Supposedly, the Settlement was a base for a secret order dedicated to smuggling away magical artifacts from the world."

"A secret order, really?" Kerri leaned in closer to the Halfling, curiosity glinting in her eyes.

"From what I've heard, they're followers of Vecna." Jun commented as he chomped down on his meat. At the name of 'Vecna', Iados gave a quick shudder.

"Vecna, he's an evil deity, right?" Kerri asked, and Iados nodded.

"'God of Death and Secrets'," Iados explained. "He's an evil God who's followers do horrible things in his name. Unfortunately, his followers are also usually the ones who are in control of the ancient arcana of the world. We ran into some of them a couple of times."

"Wow, so this Settlement might have some nasty artifacts in it." Kerri took a swig out of her waterskin.

"That's why the Sylph Heart Circle sent me." Ander said nonchalantly. With this announcement Carric, Lia, and Jun all groaned and hung their heads.

"Okay, what's that about?" Kerri looked around the group, a confused look on her face. Iados's face held a similar look.

"The Sylph Heart Circle is located in Sageburrow, the Capital of the Kingdom of Pryria." Ander recited. "It is an organization dedicated to locating, cataloging, and relegating magical artifacts and users within the Kingdom of Pryria and beyond."

"Wait, 'beyond'?" Kerri asked, and Carric nodded.

"They want to become THE magical authority." He explained. "They're a pushy and relentless group. I'm not surprised that Ander is a part of them."

"The organization first came into being about 1500 years ago." Ander continued. "It was just a small school for teaching the next generation magic, but after the Great Calamity that decimated the Kingdom of Skonia and forced them out of their homelands, they grew. They were the first group that went in and began gathering the Evil artifacts out of the region. After careful study, the artifacts were either then destroyed or hidden. What was learned from the artifacts though allowed the Circle to create their own artifacts."

"It was their ability to create magical artifacts that first attracted the elves to their side." Lia added. "I'm from Stonepine, and for a 1000 years the two cities have worked together to research and regulate magical entities. Our common goal is to prevent such a Calamity from ever happening again."

"Though in recent years, the Elves have started pulling further and further away from their end of the agreement." Ander pointedly pointed towards Lia with his head.

"Perhaps the Elves have just come to the realization that there is nothing more that the inhabitants of Sageburrow have to offer." Lia retorted, her head just slightly inclined in Ander's direction. Neither one of them were directly looking at the other.

"So, Ander is here on a mission from this Circle Organization just in case some 'evil' Vecna followers left anything behind in this Settlement a 100 yrs ago." Kerri interjected when it looked like Ander was about to say something else. "Why was it 'lost' in the first place?"

"No idea," Jun scooted back and stretched out his legs towards the fire. "All anyone knows is that all communication was lost a 100 years ago and no one who ever ventured out to find it ever returned it."

"Until about two weeks ago, when a Wyvern and their rider were forced to make an emergency landing in the area after a freak hail storm. While they were looking for shelter, they came across the Settlement, even bringing back a rubbing from the cemetery as proof." Carric added. "The discovery got out, and of course the Bards made sure that the news and legend spread."

"We are good at that." Kerri smiled as she pulled her lute back into her lap. "Did the rider find out why no one had ever returned?"

"No, but he didn't stick around that long either. Just long enough to confirm what the place was, and he left." Carric explained. "So, we've got explanations for everyone but Jun, Lia, and Iados on why they want to go to this creepy Settlement."

"I was just hired to be Ander's bodyguard." Jun grabbed his bedroll and used it as a pillow. Iados gave Lia a little nudge, and she sighed as she sat up straighter.

"I just wanted a little adventure in my life." Was her answer as she brushed near-invisible crumbs off her.

"Uh huh, try again." Kerri said as she strummed a menacing tone on her lute with a smile.

"Fine, if you all must know, and I must ask that you not repeat this, I'm a member of the Elder Door Sanctum." Lia admitted.

"I've heard of it, but I don't know what it is." Jun admitted, while everyone else just had blank looks on their faces. "It's an Elven thing, right?" Lia nodded.

"We're a small secret society that goes out and gathers information and knowledge that might otherwise be lost." Lia explained. "Unlike the Circle, we're not that concerned with magical entities. Our mission is to 'protect and expand on forgotten technologies that might influence the modern world'."

"So, what do you think is at the Settlement?" asked Ander.

"I don't know, but I'd like to explore and see what there is." Lia shrugged. "To be completely honest, this is the first time I've left home."

"Pretty sure that the first rule of secret societies, is to not tell anyone about the secret society." Carric cracked a smile as Lia's face fell as his words registered. She muttered what sounded like a curse in Elven under her breath.

"Can we just pretend that I didn't tell that to all of you?" Lia clasped her hands and looked pleadingly at the group.

"Sure, just remember that you owe us for not telling that you told." Iados stood up and stretched. "Are we the first group you've led to the Settlement?" The Tiefling asked in an obvious redirect.

"No, actually you're my second. The first group made it a little farther than we are now before they decided not to continue. Like now, we ran into a lot of trouble. We ended up losing a member of the party to bandits." Carric explained. "That's why I wanted a larger group this time around."

"Have you heard of any parties that have made it there and back?" Worry started to creep into Kerri's eyes as she strummed her lute.

"Not yet." Was the solemn reply. Silence descended on the group for a few moments, each one digesting all the information that they'd received over the past few minutes.

It was finally Kerri that broke the silence.

"Who's this 'we' you mentioned?" Kerri turned to Iados. "You said, 'we ran into some Vecna followers'."

"Pretty sure I didn't say that exact sentence." Iados leaned back away from the fire, almost disappearing into the shadows.

"Fine, but you did say 'we'." Kerri pressed. "What aren't you telling us?"

"The 'we' was just me referring to my old crew." Iados held up a finger up to Kerri's lips. "Before you ask, all you need to know about my time at sea is that it's over. Now, I just need to put as much distance between me and the sea as I can. I'm here now because she's paying me." He gestured at Lia.

"So, you're a gigolo?"

"No, I'm not." Iados said, seemingly taken aback by the Bard's words.

"I hired him to be my bodyguard." Lia explained.

"With benefits," Kerri added with a smile. Lia's face went bright red.

"She's the one that started that conversation, I just ended it." Iados shrugged, with just a touch of smugness in his voice. Lia reactively smacked him in the arm.

"Who would have thought a Tiefling and an Elf would spend the night together." Carric began cleaning up the remains of dinner.

"Something wrong with that?" Iados asked.

"No, I just would have thought that the horns and tail would get in the way." Carric clarified.

"But Iados doesn't have a tail. Why don't you have a tail?" Ander turned to Iados, thus missing the horrified looks on Kerri and Lia's faces.

"Ander! You can't just ask someone why they don't have a tail. It's rude." Lia admonished the Halfling.

"It's ok Lia." Iados reassured. "Besides asking about the color of my skin, my lack of a tail is a pretty standard question. I'm actually impressed it's taken this long for it to come up."

"Well, we have been a little busy trying not to die and all that." Carric said with a smirk as he absentmindly picked up sticks and fed them into the dwindling fire. Jun reached behind him and grabbed some larger sticks. He then began lightly tossing them into the fire as well.

"Fair enough," Iados said with a small laugh. "It's actually not that big of a deal. I was three, and my mother took me shopping with her. Being the big kid I was, I insisted on carrying my own bag, a bag by the way that I could barely see over. So, while my mother was busy haggling at a stall, an apple fell out of the bag when I readjusted it and rolled into the street. I quickly put down the bag and chased after the apple that my mother had spent ten minutes haggling over. Next thing I know my mother's screaming behind me, and when I look up there's a horse literally about to step on me. Needless to say I was trampled and nearly died if not for the monks. They saved my life, but not my tail."

"What monks?" Lia questioned as she took down her braid and began combing her hair with her fingers.

"They're a small order called the Shadow Totem based in Esterwill. My mother works for them as a housekeeper: cooking, cleaning, and shopping so that the monks can run their school without distraction." Iados explained. "My family live in a small cottage on the grounds."

"What was it like to lose a tail?" Kerri moved over and started to help Lia redo her braid.

"It sucked, mostly because I got teased all the time, but I also had to learn how to walk all over again because my sense of balance was completely gone. The monks ended up teaching me how to fight in order to regain my balance."

"I for one have never seen a monk like you." Jun chuckled.

"Technically I'm not a monk since I never took any vows. When I was sixteen I left the monastery and joined a merchant vessel. The monastery was starting to really struggle financially so I figured I could make some money and send it home.

"Two weeks out, we were attacked by pirates and I jumped ship. Spent the next five years as a pirate, and yes, we did do business with followers of Vecna a couple of times."

"Well, this has all been very enlightening, but we should get some sleep." Carric clapped his hands. "I'm thinking three watches of two each should be good. How about all of you?"

"Sounds good to me." Lia answered as she stood up. "I'll take first watch. I need less sleep than all of you."

"I'll join you." Volunteered Iados. "Who wants second?"

"Wake me and Ander." Jun called out.

"Why do I have to be on watch with you?" Grumbled the Halfling as he settled under his blanket. "Why can't I take last watch?"

"Because I'd much rather have fighters on watch than magic-users." Jun said with his eyes closed. Within a few seconds his breathing evened out and he was out. Soon everyone was asleep save for Lia and Iados. The two of them walked a bit off from the fire, Lia with her Quarterstaff at the ready.

"So, now that we're alone, should we talk?" Iados asked as he learned against a tree.

"About what?" Lia asked.

"Last night? Us sleeping together?" Iados glanced over at her.

"Oh, we're gonna have that talk." Lia bit her lower lip for a moment before she turned and faced Iados. "Listen—"

"If you want to pretend it never happened, then ok. You wouldn't be the first person I've had a one night stand with." Iados told her. "All part of the pirate lifestyle."

"Oh, well, we probably shouldn't pretend that it didn't happen. This bunch wouldn't let us." Lia added. She shifted her eyes down to the ground. "For what it's worth, I wouldn't be opposed to doing 'it' again, as a way to let off some steam, or relax, or something." Iados gave a soft chuckle.

"So, keep this casual, is what you're saying." He said. "Have you ever had a casual relationship?"

"Yes, it lasted about a year and we parted amicably." Lia answered. "You?"

"Lasted a few months, but we worked together, and it got weird." Iados answered.

"They had female pirates on your crew?" Lia asked, looking up.

"Nope." He locked gazes with Lia. "Is that a deal breaker?"

"Nope. So, are we good?" Lia asked.

"Yeah, we're good. Just let me know when you need to blow off steam." The Tiefling said with a grin.

"As long as it's not within earshot of me." Came a voice from Carric's sleeping form.

"If you two have a falling out, I am choosing sides." Kerri's voice said softly but clearly.

"Just let them work it out." Ander growled as he rolled over. "Some of us need to sleep for spells."

"Fine, go to sleep everyone." Lia said softly as she gave a soft chuckle. Her and Iados were silent for the rest of their watch. The rest of the evening went by with no trouble.


	5. Day Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, chapter five! Let me know what you guys think. Feedback is what helps me improve! Thanks!

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

_**Chapter Five - Day Two  
** _

Day two was relatively peaceful, at least compared to the endless fighting of the previous day. Carric was careful to keep a sharp lookout for tracks and the like, and when he did find them he gave them a large berth.

They were starting to go uphill as they got closer to the base of the mountain. Late in the afternoon they came across the same small stream again, and this time followed it. Carric explained that it was once a large river which cascaded down from the mountaintop.

"What happened to it?" Lia asked.

"No idea," Carric shrugged. "The locals say it's been this way for years now. Like the Settlement, the river became more town legend than actual fact."

"Do you think the two are related?" Kerri asked. "The Settlement and the river."

"Perhaps the Settlement was abandoned because the river began drying up?" Lia suggested.

"Just as likely as anything without any facts." Jun answered as he brought up the rear. "Hey, how big was this Settlement again?"

"About forty, fifty souls." Carric asked as he slowed down and turned to face the Barbarian. "Why?"

"We're following a road." Jun stated as he knelt down. By now everyone had stopped and was facing the Barbarian.

"I know we're following what's left of an old trail, but I wouldn't call it a road." Carric said as he gestured at the ground. They'd been following a faint dirt trail that was wide, yes, but was also sprouting vegetation on more than just the sides. Jun didn't answer as he dusted something off on the ground. Pulling out a small knife, he pried a piece of stone out of the ground from the edge of the trail.

What he pulled out was a square piece of pale stone. Writing could just barely be seen on one side.

"What is that?" Iados asked.

"That, is a roadblock." He stood back up and started wiping it off even more. "A Dwarven roadblock if I'm not mistaken."

"How do you know what a Dwarven roadblock looks like?" Iados said. "What even is a roadblock?"

"It's a particular cut of block that Dwarves use to outline their roads before construction is finished." Jun explained. "A few years back, a team of Dwarves rebuilt several of the roads around my home. Once the road is complete, the roadblocks are buried underneath to provide stability. The more sophisticated blocks are spelled to repel floods or sewage."

"Let me see it." Ander said, holding out his hand. Jun handed over the rock, and Ander began muttering something under breath as he cradled as much of the rock in his hands as he could. The rock which looked small in Jun's hand, was almost bigger than both of Ander's. In less than a minute Ander's eyes shot open and he dropped the rock as he took an involuntary step back.

"That is definitely spelled." Ander said. "It's strong magic, and like nothing I've ever felt from a Dwarf. Someone else spelled that."

"Why?" Kerri asked, straining to get a closer look at the stone as it was passed to Lia.

"It felt like a warding spell, an old one that's losing power." Ander explained. "It was probably designed to ward people away from the trail. If this road is headed to the Settlement, then they didn't intend for just anyone to walk in."

"If these roadblocks are meant to be covered though, doesn't that mean that this road is unfinished?" Iados asked. "Why would they just leave these out here? Why not take them with them?"

"Simple, if the spell is meant to ward, then it should do its job even if it's uncovered." Carric stated. "I'm more worried about us going the wrong way now that I know magic's involved."

"I don't think we have to worry about that." Lia stated. "The writing on the stone reads like an order form. 'Spell of Deflection, seventy-five years duration'. These stones weren't meant to last forever."

"Man, I hope there's some actual answers at the Settlement." Kerri said.

"I hope that whatever they were protecting is still there." Ander said. "To go to these lengths, it must be something. Here, let me have the stone so I can include it in my report back to the Circle."

"You sure it won't be too heavy for you?" Lia asked as handed the stone to the Halfling.

"I'm stronger than I look," Ander replied as he rolled the stone up in an extra pair of socks.

Once the stone was stowed away, the party continued. Everyone kept a careful eye out, scanning the ground around them for anymore stones. Unfortunately, they didn't have any luck as the shadows were beginning to darken. The sky was darkening not because it was getting so late, but because nasty storm clouds were beginning to gather in the skies.

Carric increased their pace, and soon enough they found a ruined circular building. What was left of the stream curved around the building and headed off. Up ahead just about thirty feet beyond the structure was a bridge.

Carric and Iados went in to inspect the building, while the girls went ahead to check out the bridge. Jun and Ander lingered outside keeping an eye on the encroaching storm.

As Iados and Carric walked into the structure, they were careful to step around the remains of the long-rotted wooden door. The stonework around the doorway had crumbled away on both sides, and directly across on the other wall was a hole just big enough for a man to walk through. Two hooded figures came out of the shadows as they walked in. They were tall, feathered creatures, with beaks coming out from under their hoods, and they're taloned feet clacked on the remains of the stone floor. Carric and Iados both recognized them as Kenku.

Outside, as the girls passed the structure and made it halfway to the bridge, Kerri turned to take a look at the rest of the building. There, crowded by the stream, were four more hooded figures. Just as Kerri shot out a hand to stop Lia, one of the Kenku looked up and saw them. He gave a short whistle to his companions, and they all turned to look. Two of them pulled out short bows, while the other two pulled shortswords out of their belts. They all had a malicious gleam in their eyes as they stared down the two women.

The two Kenku inside the building both pulled out their own shortswords and slowly advanced. The one wearing a red hood extended out a taloned hand towards Carric while hi mimicked the sound of clinking coins.

"Sorry, don't have any to spare." Carric said as he and Iados pulled out their own swords.

Red Hood took a swing and would have hit if Carric hadn't pulled his blade up and blocked it. Carric swung out with his sword and left a gash in his opponent's shoulder.

The second Kenku with a large scar over his left eye, dashed towards Iados. Iados didn't have time to put up a defense as the Kenku stabbed the Tiefling in the gut with his sword. With a cry out, Iados collapsed on the ground.

Jun stood pacing outside, warhammer at the ready. He had an uneasy feeling about the situation he just couldn't place. The feeling was confirmed as he heard Iados's cry. Turning to look inside, he saw Iados's body hit the ground, the Kenku standing over him. _Rage_ filled his eyes as he ran in and swung out with his warhammer. With a juicy thwack, the warhammer connected with Scarred Eye's head, and his lifeless body was thrown into the wall.

Red Hood swung out at Carric again, who blocked it just as easily as before. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his companion hit the wall. Deciding that wouldn't be his his fate, Red Hood took a step back before turning and running out the hole in the back.

Meanwhile, the moment the four Kenku had started their approach, both Lia and Kerri screamed as they pulled out their weapons.

Ander ran over and upon seeing the menacing group, wasted no time in throwing a bubble of _Acid Splash_ towards them. The acid splashed directly onto two of the Kenku. The sounds of a myriad of different injured animals filled the air as the two writhed from the pain.

The green-hooded Kenku put away his bow as he disappeared around the back of the building. He decided being covered in acid wasn't for him.

The two acid victims, one in a blue hood and the other in a black hood, set their sights directly on Ander, murder in their eyes. Blue Hood, his eyes still stinging, brought up his bow and fired, but missed. Black Hood, his hood and beak prominently now pockmarked by the acid, rushed at the Halfling. Ander did the sensible thing and ducked when the pissed Kenku swung out wildly.

Lia took a step back. She threw out her hand and cast _Poison Spray_ on Black Hood, causing him to cough and sputter, but still stand.

Kerri, who had pulled out her rapier, took a few steps forward as she faced off with the remaining Kenku, Brown Hood.

"How does it feel knowing you'll never feel the wind beneath your useless, pathetic wings? I bet the wind hates you the most, you with the butt-ugly face." Kerri snarled out with _Vicious Mockery_. Anger and pain filled the Kenku's face. Kerri readied herself for an attack while she sang out with _Inspiration_ towards Ander.

_"Though you are small,_

_You sure can maul._

_Fling those spells,_

_And hear their yells!"_ She sang.

Ander, the _Inspiration_ buzzing in his little body, took a quick glance at where the girls were, before he grinned. Bringing his hands up, he cast _Burning Hands_ at Brown and Black Hoods. Black Hood took the brunt of the blast, his body still smoldering as it collapsed on the ground. Brown Hood, who was further back, cried out in the voice of a small child as the flames licked at him.

"A little warning would be nice!" Kerri yelled out over her shoulder, having only been out of the line of fire by a couple of feet.

"The whole point was to surprise them!" Ander yelled back as Blue Hood fired at him once again. Unlike his companions, Blue Hood had been far enough back to escape the fire. The Halfling hissed as the arrow left a deep gash in his left arm.

Brown Hood ran off towards Ander, snarling at Kerri as he ran past. He brought his sword up, and with one swing took the Halfling down.

Seeing Ander fall the short distance to the ground, Lia yelled out a string of Elvish, sending _Healing Words_ his way. Once the words were out of her mouth, she gripped her quarterstaff in both hands and brought it straight down on Brown Hood's head, dropping him.

With adrenaline surging through her, she grabbed Ander's arms and pulled him out of sight from the archer. As they moved, Lia could see into the structure. Immediately her eyes focused on Iados's prone form on the ground and she cursed in Elven. Not even the pretty syntax could hide the focused scorn.

As Kerri recovered from her brush with fire, she watched Red Hood emerge from the back of the building. Red Hood began whistling and gesticulating furiously at Blue Hood. She couldn't understand whistles, but it was clear to Kerri that Red Hood believed it was time to leave. Running up closer to the two of them, she planted her feet and thrust out her hands as she yelled out. Her words were drowned out as the _Thunderwave_ spell was cast with a thunderous boom. Red Hood was somehow able to ride out the tremendous force that emanated from the Half-Elf's body, but Blue Hood wasn't. He was thrown back ten feet, across the stream, still managing to hang on to his bow.

Carric, who'd been just about to follow Red Hood out of the hole, was suddenly glad he hadn't. Quickly, he sheathed his sword and pulled out his bow. Just was Red Hood was getting back on his feet, Carric sent an arrow straight through Red Hood's back into his heart. The Kenku gave a short jerk before he collapsed face first in the dirt.

Blue Hood across the stream readied his bow and sent an arrow straight into Kerri's arm. Carric turned his bow on him next catching him right between the eyes. Bringing his bow down, Carric smirked at his own skill, sad that only Kerri was witness to it.

Now, Green Hood who had decided that the stream wasn't a safe place to be, had spent the battle circling around to the opposite side of the building. Quietly drawing his sword, he sneaked up beside Jun and lashed out, catching the Human in the arm and drawing a red line down his forearm.

Jun calmly turned to see who had hit him, _Rage_ still in his eyes. With a smile, the Barbarian brought his warhammer up and hit the smaller creature in the side.

Green Hood swung out, attempting to hit again, but Jun just batted it away with his warhammer.

Jun swung out once more and gave a small chuckle this time as he hit once again, and the bird-like creature stumbled back before falling out the whole he'd come in.

Once the last of the threats had been put down, Lia ran over to Iados and laid her hands on his chest as _Cure Wounds_ did its magic.

Ander, who had stood up immediately after having been so rudely dragged by Lia, had taken a minute to observe his surroundings. He saw Jun very easily had a handle on his latest opponent, and he took the loud thunder clap to mean that the other threats were being handled as well. Not seeing any threats in his immediate vicinity, he shrugged and began looting the bodies.

"What did I tell you!" Jun roared as he turned to Iados and dragged him to his feet.

"That I'd most likely die." Iados answered, his voice low, his gaze not meeting Jun's. Iados attempted to break Jun's hold on his arm, but Jun held firm.

"Get some armor." Jun hissed in his ear, before he let go and left the room. Ander squeezed in behind him and began rifling through Green Hood's pockets.

"If it's any consolation, I don't think you need armor." Ander said. "I've met many Vigneron monks, and from what I've seen, armor only hinders them." Ander found a money pouch on Green Hood, and without looking in it moved on to Scarred Eye.

"I know." Iados said, sliding down the wall. "Even as a pirate I didn't wear armor. With armor, a fall in the water could kill you. Besides, I was usually found up in the rigging anyway."

"How long have you been on dry land?" Ander asked as he dug out a green feather from inside the Kenku's tunic. Something about it intrigued him as he sat on the ground and inspected it further.

"A few weeks now." Iados said. "I needed to put as much distance between the sea and myself, so I've just kept moving. Heard about the Settlement and thought someone might pay for whatever might be there."

"So, you really haven't had a chance to fully accustom yourself to dry land again? You've kept up the endless moving, as you did with the sea?" Ander asked, looking up from the feather. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small book, it's cover coming off, tied with a piece of string. "I remember, that whenever the Vigneron monks had spent quite a time at sea, they had to take a few days, and just mediate or do those slow movement exercises, to center themselves or something. Maybe you should do that?"

"That's actually good advice, thanks Ander." Iados said with a smile. "What do you have there?" He asked, pointing at the feather.

"Not sure yet." Ander said as he flipped through the book one-handed. After a couple of minutes, his eyes suddenly went wide he scanned the text on the page.

"What is it?" Iados asked, inching closer.

"It's a 'Quall's Feather Token'." Ander announced as he stared from the page to the feather and back.

"What's that?" Iados asked.

"Well, it's a token that has a one-use power." Ander explained. "If I'm reading this book correctly, this one should be a Tree Token."

"What does a Tree Token do?"

"Just what the name implies, it summons an oak tree." Ander said. "I'll have to examine this further later." Ander slipped the feather in between the pages of his book and stowed it in his pack.

"Are you two done in here?" Carric asked as he climbed back in from the hole on the other side.

"Yep," Ander said as he stood up. "I just need to check the last bodies outside and we're good."

"Jun and I already did so." Carric answered. "I found about 10 copper, he found a few silver and a potion. Lia and Kerri looked at it and said it's a Potion of Greater Healing."

"That's awesome." Ander said.

"What did you pull off the other bodies?" Carric asked, staring the Halfling down.

"A few silver, a little gold." Ander said with a shrug.

Carric didn't believe him for a second. He knelt in front of the Halfling.

"I think, we should split the loot from these guys evenly. What do you say?" Carric said slowly, as he stared down the Halfling. Ander couldn't say anything. There was something about the way Carric had said it, still with a smile on his face, that just unnerved him, so he just nodded.

"Good." Carric said as he stood back up. A minute later, everyone was gathered everyone out front.

"Now Ander, what did you find?" Carric asked.

Ander took a deep breath, and then counted out his loot on the ground in front of everyone. In total he had 40 copper pieces, 10 electrum pieces, and in a very nice leather pouch that was probably stolen, was 4 platinum pieces. He also fessed up about the Feather Token.

"Wow," Kerri said. "Kenku might be trouble, but you have to give them credit when it comes to their stash."

"What are Kenku?" Jun asked. "I've never seen these creatures before." Lia nodded her head in agreement with Jun.

"They're creatures that are motivated by greed." Kerri explained. "They can't actually speak, except through mimicry. We had them rampant at home, usually aligned with the Thieves' Guild. Long ago they were actual birds, till they were cursed. They're unable to fly, and that's one of the main things they all want."

"Basically, they're just more riff-raff." Carric said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Kerri asked.

"Ever since the war, the lands outside the seven cities are populated more by the riff-raff than general populace. That's why so many people have flocked to the cities, safety." Carric explained.

"What about the village we were in just a day ago? Rocklyn?" Kerri asked.

"There are villages strewn here and there, don't get me wrong." Carric said. "However though, the war wiped out many noble lines and left so many baronies and territories in limbo. The villages can only really rely on themselves, for safety and survival. Guides like me help groups like you guys navigate from the cities and villages safely."

"It's so different from the Nydag Empire." Jun said as he helped Ander divvy up the money. "There, there's not a scrap of land that's not under the control of a Lord or the Emperor."

"Back home, the noble lines are long and proud." Kerri said. "I can't even imagine any of them just being wiped out."

"The world is a vast place." Lia said. "My Uncle likes to say, 'Don't ever presume you know how the world works, until you've been to every inch of it. Even then, a land can change so much in the blink of an eye.'"

"Being a pirate, you're used to no-man's land. No one can own a sea, no matter how much they try." Iados said. "What they can own, is their ship, and their crew. That's what matters at sea, because that is what'll keep you alive."

Everyone was silent for a moment, until a crack of thunder sounded off in the distance.

"We should find some shelter, I have a feeling it's going to be a rough night." Carric said as he looked up at the dark clouds that had quietly moved in. A cold breeze blasted through them.

"What's that?" Kerri asked, pointing at a blue light coming towards them.

Jun readied his warhammer, as Carric nocked an arrow in his bow.

"It's about time I caught up with you." A soft feminine voice said from behind the light. As it got closer, everyone could see a Human female with dark brown skin, auburn hair, and hazel eyes wearing plate mail and a backpack. The light was coming from the tip of a stick she carried. Around the wrist that carried the torch, was a bracelet with a sun charm on it.

"Elaine!" Kerri cried out and ran towards the woman. The two of them shared a hug before they separated, and Elaine wagged a finger at Kerri.

"You were supposed to wait for me at the Inn." Elaine admonished.

"I know, and I'm sorry! I just didn't know how long you were going to be, and the party was ready to head out. How did you find us?" Kerri grabbed Elaine's hand and pulled her over to meet the rest of the group.

"I prayed and headed in the general direction the barkeep told me." Elaine said with a chuckle.

"And you got here in one piece?" Carric asked, eyebrow raised.

"Pelor guided and protected me." Elaine said. "Besides, I'm actually pretty good at following footprints."

"Who are you?" Ander asked, looking up at the woman.

"Everyone, this is my friend, Elaine. She's a cleric of Pelor." Kerri announced, before she went around and introduced everyone to Elaine. "She left home with me when I was asked to leave."

"You mean when you were kicked out," Elaine corrected. Kerri didn't respond.

"So, you're from Liratha as well?" Lia asked.

"Not originally. I grew up here in Marblebroke, in Osthom." Elaine said.

"I grew up in Osthom as well." Carric said. "I left shortly after the Orc attacks."

"As did I." Said Elaine. "I traveled to Liratha and joined the Church of Pelor there. That's where I met Kerri. She was part of a show put on at the Palace that the Church was invited to."

"Ok, this is nice and all, catching up, but shouldn't we be worried about the storm?" Iados asked. "Are we taking shelter in this place?" He asked, pointing at the structure behind them.

"I actually found a cave not too far back from here." Elaine said, pointing behind her. "We could camp there for the night, and it looked to be deep enough as to shield us from the rain."

"Sounds like a plan, better than that place with all the holes." Carric said, shouldering his back. "Lead on."

Everyone set off, and about ten minutes later came to the cave Elaine found. Carric advised everyone to pick up firewood on the way, otherwise a fire would be impossible. They'd settled in the cave not two minutes before the rain started.

"Well, looks like we're having rations tonight." Ander said glumly as Carric started the fire. The night was spent catching Elaine up on what she'd missed out with the battles, as well as what they'd found out about the Settlement so far.

"Actually, while I was in Osthom, I did some research on the Settlement." Elaine explained as she dug out a book from her pack. "There wasn't much, but I did manage to find some personal accounts from survivors."

"Survivors?" Lia asked. "Survivors from the Settlement?"

"Yes, apparently the Settlement itself had been there for about fifty years, when suddenly a Dwarven Priest came to town. He took control of the mine and began renovating it. He brought with him about a dozen followers, all of them magic users. They forced the townspeople to do menial labor in the mine. It was nearing winter, but the inhabitants weren't allowed to prepare. Worse, part of the renovation involved diverting an underground river, a river that supplied the town!"

"That explains what happened with the stream." Kerri said.

"And these people sound like the type who'd be able to enchant that stone we found." Ander added.

"Did the account say what they were hiding in the mine?" Lia asked.

"No, that was kept secret. The inhabitants were only used for manual labor. The Priest and his followers were careful not to give anything away." Elaine explained. "Anyway, it all fell apart the day the Owlbears attacked."

"Owlbears?" Iados asked. "Aren't they usually solitary?"

"Yeah, but the area had become deprived of resources, and winter was approaching. There were about five or so Owlbears that came into town, and they were all hungry. It was a massacre. The Priest and his Followers locked themselves in the mine, leaving the inhabitants to fend for themselves. The account I read was from a couple who had hid under a home for three days, listening as the creatures dragged their friends and neighbors back to the caves."

"Well, that's one mystery solved." Kerri said. "Owlbears are the reason the Settlement was abandoned."

"Unfortunately, we have a whole other problem. That Priest and his Followers locked themselves in the mine. Who knows what spells they put up for protection when they were down there. Who knows if they ever even got out. We'll need to be on our guard the whole time we're down there." Jun advised. No one disagreed. "Now, let's go ahead and get some sleep. Watches of two, with one of three."

"I'd like to be on third watch." Iados said with a wave of his hand.

"Kerri and I can be on third watch as well." Elaine said.

"I'll take first watch again," Lia said.

"I'll go ahead and join her." Carric volunteered.

"Then that just leaves me and Jun, again." Ander muttered as he stood up and got his bed roll out and spread.

Elaine leaned over and whispered something to Kerri, who nodded. Elaine grabbed her and Kerri's bedrolls and headed back towards the far end of the cave.

"Hey Lia?" Kerri asked as she walked over to the Elf. "Before you go on watch, would you mind helping Elaine and I? She needs help taking off her armor, and she's so shy that someone has to hold up a blanket to shield her." Kerri explained with a smile.

"No problem." Lia said, and her and Kerri joined Elaine. Lia held the blanket up and Kerri helped Elaine.

"Thank you," Elaine said as they rejoined the group and spread out their bedrolls.

"Anytime." Said Lia as ahe pulled out her Quarterstaff and settled back against a wall near the entrance.

"Do we know how far back this cave goes?" Carric asked as he settled down. Elaine grabbed a nearby rock and a tuft of moss out of her belt pouch. Touching the moss to the rock, she mumbled a quick word and the rock glowed with a bright white _Light_. Turning around, she pitched the rock towards the back of the cave. It sailed for about fifteen feet before it hit the back. As far as anyone could see it was clear of any threats.

"Thanks," Carric said, and Elaine nodded before she settled down and drifted off. Once everyone was asleep and it was quiet, Carric turned to Lia.

"So, do I get a conversation like Iados, or do we just sit here in silence?" He asked. Lia turned a slight shade of red.

"How about we just sit here in silence for a while?" She suggested, and Carric shrugged. He pulled out his bow and sword and started cleaning and checking them for damage. The night passed by without any trouble.

In the morning, Lia, Kerri, Elaine, and Ander all prepared their spells for the day. Carric and Jun left the cave and scouted outside. Carric tried to catch anything for breakfast, but unfortunately came back empty-handed. The rain had let up though, and the sky was a brightening blue.

Iados, during his watch, had taken up position in the back of the cave. He left the watch to the girls, and instead concentrated on his meditation. Like Ander suggested, he did the slow movements, acclimating his body to the sure footing of solid ground and gaining a better self-awareness. By the time the group was ready to head out, Iados felt more grounded and in control of himself than he had in weeks.


	6. The Cemetery

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

**_Chapter Six - The Cemetery_ **

"How far out are we?" Ander asked as everyone readied their packs.

"Just a couple of hours now. Maybe a little longer." Carric finished tightening the straps as he glanced over at the Halfling. Ander was having to rearrange a few items so they'd fit better, but the whole look of the pack was lumby. Ander was definitely not one for organization, which was a weird trait for a wizard.

"As long as we get there today." Iados said. "After seeing what we've found so far, I'm curious as to what the actual Settlement will be like."

"Do we know the Settlement's name?" Kerri looked over at her friend with an excited grin. "It'll be so much easier to write a ballad for this whole mess if I knew the name."

"The account I read gave the name, but it was a long Dwarvish name I couldn't read. I had someone translate it, but I couldn't make those sounds if my life depended on it." Elaine said with a smile. "Anyone here speak Dwarvish?"

"I do." Lia gave a wave of her hand. "Maybe we'll find something in the Settlement that'll give us a clue."

"Maybe." Elaine agreed with a nod as the group set off.

Carric kept a little ways out from the main group as he worked to uncover the trail. The storm from last night turned all the dirt to mud, and the fallen leaves now carpeted the ground. Elaine and Kerri trailed along behind him, catching each other up on what the other missed. Ander had a stick he'd picked up, and he was using it to keep away from the particularly muddy spots. Once again, Lia and Iados walked behind him. Lia was curious about the moves she'd seen Iados doing that morning. The Tiefling was more than happy to explain. As usual, Jun brought up the rear, on the lookout for danger. An unspoken agreement had come between Jun and Carric, where they'd trust each other to watch the front and behind respectively. The others, while still weary of their surroundings, trusted the two of them and their experience.

After about three hours, they finally made it out of the forest. What they found, instead of a Settlement, was a large stone wall. It'd been made out of different sized rocks fitted together just so, to make a beautiful solid wall. Time and the elements had not been kind though, as pieces were beginning to break off here and there, and the weathering had ground the stones down to pitiful brown patches. The forest was on the cusp of engulfing the wall, and further down the wall they could see where tree roots had already begun tunneling through.

The group was left with two options: scale the wall or go back into the forest.

"What do you think's behind it?" Kerri asked as the group got closer. Without saying anything, Iados ran up to the wall. The wall was only about six-foot-high, and with a quick jump, he grasped the edge and pulled himself up as he peered over.

"It's a cemetery." He announced as he finished pulling himself up and sat on top of the wall. "There's a big mausoleum building by the gates across the way, and about twenty or so tombstones just scattered about."

"Not very big then," Carric mused.

"You said there are tombstones? Are they big boulders?" Lia asked, looking up at Iados.

"No, just simple rectangular slabs of rock." Iados explained as he used his hands to convey the size.

Lia frowned. "Dwarves are usually buried in stone tombs or are consigned by fire. Not buried in the ground." Lia went silent for a moment. "We need to look at those tombstones." Going over, she jumped up and grabbed the top of the wall. Almost immediately her fingers began to slide off the rocks and she began to question her hasitness. Thankfully Iados helped her climb up and over without a word. As soon as her feet hit the ground on the other side, she began inspecting the closest tombstone with barely a pause.

"Well, I guess we're going over." Jun positioned himself by the wall, fingers interlocked and ready to help people over.

Kerri went first and was up and over without a hitch. Ander went next. Jun gave him a lift up, and together Ander managed to climb up clumsily towards Iados. Truth be told, Jun and Iados together could have just handed the Halfling off like a sack of potatoes, but out of respect they restrained themselves.

"You don't expect me to just jump down on my own, do you?" Ander asked as he looked over the edge warily. "I mean, it's a long way down. What if I hurt myself?" Ander gave a big gulp as he white-knuckled the stonework.

Iados looked down at Jun. "You or me?" He asked. Jun sighed and looked over at Carric and Elaine.

"We can make it over ourselves, go help Ander." Elaine said with a smile.

Jun nodded and effortlessly scaled the wall and went over. Once on the other side he helped Ander down. According to Iados, Ander merely jumped into the Barbarian's arms. Ander claimed that he tripped, and Jun swore he couldn't say one way or the other. However it happened, Ander was glad when he was back on solid ground.

"What have you found?" Kerri asked Lia while Ander conquered the wall.

"These tombstones aren't Dwarven." Lia clarified. "At least, the names on them aren't Dwarven."

She reached out to wipe dust out of the letter cracks. As her hand touched the stonework, there came a terrible scream. The sound resonated within the stone walls and seemed to almost echo.

Kerri and Lia stood up quickly, tensed and reaching for weapons. Jun reached for his warhammer as he scanned the grounds, while Ander moved closer to him, hands at the ready. Iados crouched on the wall as the sound faded and all was quiet. Elaine and Carric, still on the other side of the wall, didn't move. Everyone was silent as the seconds ticked by.

With a rumble, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble as a rift formed just in front of Jun and Ander. With a blast of earth, a large green head ascended from an underground lair. The head was covered with spiky points all over itself save for its one large eye and mouth. Swirling around it, were four eyestalks.

One of the eyestalks immediately honed in on Lia and sent out a dark blue ray. The ray hit her right in the chest, and she crumpled without a word against the stone. The creature spoke out with a gravelly voice.

"Anyone catch that?" Iados said as he pulled out his sword.

"I'm more concerned with what it is." Jun said pulling out his Warhammer, moving to block Lia from view. Considering the creature was hovering just over their heads; his action didn't mean much.

"It's a Spectator." Iados announced as he launched himself off the wall, swinging his blade. The blade sliced down the Spectator's back, leaving a red trail behind. He landed gracefully on his feet behind it.

Kerri drew her rapier, and with a jump managed to wound the Spectator with a glancing blow. "It's akin to a Beholder, but these guys are usually summoned to guard something."

Elaine, seeing the creature over the top of the wall, attempted to climb over, but failed as the stonework crumbled under her foot.

Carric didn't even try to climb as he pulled his bow out. Taking a step back, he let loose an arrow that grazed along the top of the creature.

Ander backed off from the hovering green aberration and cast _Chill Touch_. The ghostly hand wrapped itself around one of the eyestalks, and the stalk turned brown. The stain disappeared after a few seconds though, much to Ander's dismay.

Just to prove that the spell didn't work, the stalk turned and cast its gaze on Iados. A brown ray shot out and hit Iados in the arm. He groaned and lowered his head, confusion taking over. With a shout, he shook off the effects and raised his sword. The eyestalk gestured angrily towards him.

Jun took two steps forward and jumped up with all his might, _Rage_ in his eyes. Swinging his Warhammer in like a bat, he smashed the Spectator and hurled it into the stone wall. As rock dust covered it, the Spectator groaned once before its large eye closed and it went still. The eyestalks lying useless around it.

"Elaine!" Kerri yelled over the wall as she sheathed her rapier and ran over to Lia. Elaine scrambled over the wall, and with Jun's help made it down quickly. She wasted no time in casting _Cure Wounds_ on the unconscious Elf. As Lia opened her eyes, Elaine stood up and surveyed the rest of the cemetery. Stretching out her hand and making sure that the sun charm around her wrist was visibile, she cast _Detect Good or Evil_ , looking for more like the Spectator. The charm was inscribed with the symbol for Pelor.

"Did you say these guys are usually summoned to guard something?" Ander asked, as he went over and took a good look at the creature.

"Yeah," Kerri nodded. "The stories from home say these creatures are summoned for a contract of a hundred years or so to guard a treasure or location."

"Do you think whatever it's guarding is buried, or in the mausoleum?" Ander asked, looking around him. "Which tombstone was it that alerted it?"

"This one." Lia pointed as she stood up. "It just lists a name, nothing else. From the looks of it, none of these tombstones say much more than that." She scanned the closest stones. "The mausoleum over there might be a better candidate."

"Then let's go check it out." Iados said as Carric plopped down next to him.

"Check what out?" Carric asked.

"The mausoleum." Iados answered, pointing out the structure. "Ander seems to think there might be treasure in there."

"Well, since the exit is over there as well, I don't see why not." Carric said. "It is on the way."

"I don't agree!" Elaine cried out, turning to them. "Walking through a cemetery is one thing but breaking into a tomb is downright sacrilege. Must we really desecrate the dead in order to satisfy our own curiosity?"

"If you ask me, burying a Spectator in amongst the dead already desecrated it." Ander said. "Besides, aren't you at least a little curious in what might be hiding in the mausoleum?"

"No." Elaine said firmly. "What right do we have to disturb their rest?"

Ander opened his mouth to respond, but Jun cut him off.

"Listen, let's just head to the gates for now." He said. "If the mausoleum looks suspicious, or something happens, then we can investigate. Our first priority though should be our own lives though, not treasure." Everyone could at least agree on that.

Once they reached the middle of the cemetery, a neat gravel road lead straight to the gates stretching out for about fifty feet. The mausoleum sat adjacent to the gates along the same road. Its entrance was about halfway down the road. Between the road and the wall across from the mausoleum, was just a straight patch of grass. Along the patch, were four medium sized stones spaced evenly apart all the way down to the gates.

Still wary, the group headed down the road. Jun, Iados, and Lia headed the party, while Kerri and Ander trailed along behind. Elaine and Carric decided to stay off the road and walk alongside the edge of the mausoleum instead. Elaine didn't even try to hide the stink eye she was sending to Ander, Iados, and Carric as they neared the entrance to the tomb.

The trio in front were halfway down the road, when just as Kerri crossed in front of the first stone, a loud crack filled the air around them. Suddenly rustling could be heard from over by the grass. Earth spewed up in the air as four humanoids began pulling themselves out of the ground. There were three men and a woman, all in ragged clothes, their eyes sunken, and their skin drawn in, pinched, and ashen. Their eyes held no pupils as they fixated on the intruders. Everyone could only watch in silent terror and curiosity as these things climbed out quickly.

Ander was the first to act. He stepped up next to Kerri and wasted no time in casting _Burning Hands_ towards two of the humanoids. The two of them, one man in a faded red tunic and a woman in a torn grey dress, began to smoke, but they didn't slow down.

"If anyone is interested, these things are Zombies, and obviously undead." Ander yelled out, taking a step backward.

Red and Grey staggered over to the Halfling and began smashing him with their fists. Ander fell backwards under their heavy blows and was soon unconscious. Once he went down, Red turned his attention towards Kerri, while Grey marched on towards Jun.

Lia pulled out her Quarterstaff and began backing away from the zombies. She watched in silent horror as the zombies swarmed Ander. She briefly considered whacking at them, but she still wasn't a hundred percent after the encounter with the Spectator and she froze.

Kerri pulled her rapier out and sent a _Healing Word_ towards Ander, who awakened to Red still standing over him. He stayed still.

Carric pulled out his bow and moved so he could have a clear shot at Red. The arrow he released grazed the zombie's arm.

Hearing Ander call them zombies, Elaine began muttering to herself as she pulled out her crossbow. It was something along the lines of 'Pelor help us', with a few other colorful adjectives thrown in. She brought the crossbow up and fired at Red. With a thud, the bolt stuck in the zombie's forehead, and he fell on top of Ander. Ander gave a gasp of pain as the much larger creature crashed down on him. The Halfling crawled out from under Red and went to go stand by Kerri.

"I thought Zombies were a myth." Kerri said as she backed up closer to Elaine. Seeing Undead made her want to be close to a Cleric.

"Well, they say that myths are grounded in truths." Elaine growled with a scowl as she readied another bolt. She and Kerri both watched in horror as Red shakily stood back up and lumbered up to Kerri. Shaking herself out of the shock, Kerri brought her rapier up just in time to deflect the blow. The zombie's strength sent a jar up her arm.

Carric moved behind Red and sank an arrow in his back. Red once again crumpled to the ground. With an inhuman groan, Red stood back up again and took a swipe at Ander. Ander ducked out of the way and Carric sent Red another arrow to the chest that took him down, again.

Ander, his curiosity getting the best of him went to look at the pin cushioned Red. Just as Ander leaned down over him, Red's eyes popped open for a third time and he slammed his arm up into Ander's face. Ander gasped and fell back, unconscious. Carric shot Red once more, this time in the stomach. After, he waited, arrow nocked, in case the zombie stood up again. This time Red stayed down.

Meanwhile, the doors to the mausoleum had opened and three more zombies came down the short stairs to enter the fray. One of them, a woman in a black dress missing a sleeve, headed straight for Elaine and Kerri. The other two left to join the crowd around Iados and Jun.

Kerri stepped forward in front of Elaine and brandished her rapier out in front of her. Black raised her fists to attack but missed her footing on the last step and missed.

Elaine took a step back and fired her crossbow. The bolt left a gash in Black's cheek as it careened by.

Lia ran up to Black with her quarterstaff out. She swung with the staff but was only able to clip the zombie's shoulder.

Kerri attacked with her rapier, thrusting out and connecting with the zombie's side. Seeing that Black was getting plenty of attention from Kerri and Lia, and that Carric had Red well in hand, Elaine moved away to provide some assistance to Jun and Iados.

Black reached out to hit Kerri but was parried by the thin blade.

Lia swung out and hit Black in the back, hard with her quarterstaff. Kerri swung once again with her rapier and pierced the zombie's neck. A black liquid began to ooze out of the wound. Kerri jerked her weapon out and Black toppled to the ground.

Lia turned to go help elsewhere, when Black suddenly reached out a hand and grabbed hold of Lia's ankle. Lia reactively stabbed down with her quarterstaff, a lot. The hand around her ankle loosened as Black sank back down. Lia scrambled backwards, while Kerri came up and stabbed the body a couple of times, just to be sure.

"I'm beginning to hate zombies." Kerri commented as she backed away warily from Black. Lia nodded in agreement, examining her leg for any zombie goo.

Out of the original four, two of them had bee-lined for the large Barbarian. A man in a green tunic, and a man with only the upper half of a shirt. Green introduced himself with a hearty slam on Jun's shoulder.

Iados pulled his sword out and moved around, closer to Green. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't near enough to Jun when he _Raged_ and started swinging that warhammer. Iados swung out and carved a slice down Green's arm, followed up with a sidekick to the midsection. His foot came away with a bit of ooze on the heel.

Feeling that hit to the shoulder, Jun felt the _Rage_ come over him as he grabbed his warhammer and brought it up with both hands. Aiming for the one who hurt him, Jun slammed the hammer into Green's side, making the hammer visibly sink into the torso as the sounds of broken bones emanated out. Green still stood as Jun pulled back, but now he was leaning.

Grey lumbered up behind Jun after pummeling Ander. She reached up and slammed his shoulder. In his _Rage_ -filled state though, Jun barely felt it. Half-Shirt and Green tried to attack the Barbarian at the same time and ended up getting in each other's way and making the other miss.

"What, am I not worth your time?" Iados said as he watched the zombies tangle each other up. As if in response, the mausoleum opened, and two more zombies headed towards him. One was in a blue tunic, and the other was just shirtless. Just as they reached the pack, Lia stepped forward.

"Brace yourselves!" She called out as she closed her eyes and concentrated, her hand held out as she mumbled under her breath. Green energy gathered in her fingertips before shooting out and hitting the earth beneath Iados's feet. Stretching out in a twenty-foot square, weeds and vines sprang forth curling around anything and anyone. Jun, Iados, Grey, and Half-Shirt all managed not to be stuck fast. The other zombies, not so lucky.

Iados turned to the stuck Green and felled him with a combo attack of sword and fist. Green just hung limply in the vines.

Even though Half-Shirt had managed not to be tangled in the vines, he was unfortunately standing next to Jun. As Jun tensed his muscles and wrested himself out of the vines, his warhammer was thrown into Half-Shirt's torso, just collapsing the whole ribcage. Half-Shirt fell back and lay sprawled on the bed of vines.

Ander seriously considered sending another _Burning Hand_ out into the vines but reconsidered due to Jun and Iados. After all, they had saved him multiple times already, and Jun technically worked for him. Instead the wizard sent a bubble of _Acid Splash_ that sprayed across Grey and Blue. Grey was hit right in the face, the acid burning away an entire cheek, while Blue got away with barely pockmarked skin on his arm.

Iados turned to Shirtless just as he broke free. The Tiefling hit him with a deep slash down his torso, causing a line of black ooze of seep out. He then attempted to kick his knee out, to no avail. However, Iados did see a tattoo on the zombie's torso, a pirate tattoo.

His attention on the tattoo was broken by the sound of Kerri's voice reaching his ears.

_"These guys are slow,_

_And surely reek._

_Just hit them low,_

_Cause boy, they weak."_ She sang out in _Inspiration_ for Iados.

While Iados was distracted by the singing, Shirtless reached out and landed a punch on shoulder. The response was a sword blade to the gut, followed by a punch to the head. Shirtless fell back into the vines, leaving Iados with black gunk on his hand.

Just as Iados turned his back to look for another threat, Shirtless suddenly lunged out with a guttural moan, black ooze streaking down his face. Iados turned around, his sword up, and with one swing decapitated the zombie.

When Grey raised her arms to attack Jun again, she was suddenly stuck in the vines for a moment until she managed to break free. She went for Jun again, but he moved out of the way. Before she could get another chance, he turned and faced her, and with a simple swing of his warhammer laid her out in the vines.

Whistling past Jun's head, Elaine sent a bolt right to the chest of Blue, who was still stuck in the vines. No matter how much the blue-shirted zombie struggled, he just couldn't get the leverage needed to break free. Taking advantage, Jun slammed his warhammer into Blue's face, breaking the nose. As Jun brought his warhammer away, Elaine shot another bolt to Blue's torso and he went limp in his bonds.

"Jun, would you get those bolts for me?" Elaine asked.

"Sure," Jun answered. Just as he reached for the bolts, Blue's eyes snapped open and he reached out, attempting to bite Jun's fingers. Before Jun could react, Carric ran up and shot an arrow into the zombie's skull. The zombie fell limp once again.

"Could you grab my arrow as well?" Carric asked as Elaine joined him at the edge of the vines. Lia came to stand next to them, and with a wave of her hand the vines began to wilt.

Jun looked at Blue suspiciously, warhammer at the ready. Just as his fingers were about to grab the arrow, Jun suddenly slammed his warhammer one last time into the zombie's head. Both arrow and bolts were broken.

"She twitched." Jun said with a shrug as he turned to face the trio. Carric sighed, hung his head, and walked away without a word.

With her spell gone, Lia went over to Ander and cast _Cure Wounds_.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she helped Ander sit up.

"Let's just say I officially have zombies on my hate list." He rubbed his shoulder. "Man, those guys could hit."

"Zombies are merely shells, they don't have any semblance to their former lives." Elaine explained as she stared down at the corpses in disgust. "There's a reason the magic community condemned and outlawed this kind of magic."

"You mean zombie magic?" Iados asked as he walked over to the grass and tried to get the zombie goo off his foot and sword.

"I mean any magic that disturbs the dead and go against the natural path of death." Elaine said. "Magic that can breathe life back into the dead."

"I wasn't even aware that kind of magic existed." Jun said, while Carric nodded in agreement.

"The magic community outlawed any magic having to do with the dead. Years and years ago, evil factions used it to fuel their armies. Those factions used their undead soldiers to fight their enemies, whoever they might have been." Ander explained, looking at the corpses and debating whether it was worth it to loot. "Because of the pain and destruction they caused, it was agreed the dead should just stay dead."

"Not all magic like that is evil though." Lia argued. "What about spells such as _Raise Dead_ and _Resurrection_? Those kinds of spells bring real life back to the bodies, not abominations such as these." She gestured down at the zombies.

"Doesn't matter," Elaine said. "We're taught that death is nothing to be afraid of, and if anything it should be honored. Besides, with those kinds of spells success isn't guaranteed, and they're not cheap. How do you know about those spells?" Elaine asked suspiciously.

"I'm 112 years old and part of a secret Elven society, I know things." Lia sighed as she crossed her arms. "How do you know about them?"

"My Master told me, using them as an example of church politics." Elaine answered matter of factly as she stared down the elf. "Since the spell itself eats so much money as a sacrifice, in the past churches had to charge exorbitant amounts just to cover it. Some churches charged more and got a rap."

"So, the power of life and death comes down to politics and money then." Carric summed up as he went around tried yanking his arrows out of the corpses. Unfortunately, only one was unusable.

"You guys notice anything about these corpses?" Ander asked, deliberately changing the subject. "They're all humans, none of these zombies are Dwarven."

"Were there any humans in the Settlement to begin with?" Kerri asked as she took a good look at the other corpses.

"Not according to the record." Elaine said, walking towards Kerri. "The only humans mentioned, were the ones that came with the Dwarf Cleric to repurpose the mine."

"Looks like he repurposed them as well." Jun said. "I think it's time to check out the mausoleum, unless you have any objections?" He asked Elaine.

Elaine sighed. "I guess not since we saw zombies come out of there as well. Let me go first though." She headed up to the entrance, and upon peeking in, noticed there weren't any light sources. "Hold on," She told everyone. Pulling out two sticks from her pack, she cast _Light_ on the end of each of them. She kept one for herself and handed the other to Ander. Lia held out the end of her Quarterstaff, and Elaine cast _Light_ on the end of it.

Everyone buddied up and cautiously headed inside. Jun stood guard outside, keeping a wary eye on the zombie corpses. As Elaine crossed the threshold, she paused for a moment to say a quiet prayer.

Thankfully there didn't seem to be any more zombies inside. Along the back wall were two elaborate tapestries. Each tapestry went from floor to ceiling, about ten feett up by at least that much across. In the middle of the room were three tombs. Their lids were slid off and laid broken on the floor next to them, with a stench radiating out of them. Etched along the sides of each tomb were simple shapes, flowers, and religious symbols that Elaine confirmed weren't Dwarven to her knowledge.

Ander wasted no time in getting closer to the tombs. Closing his eyes, he held out his hands and cast _Detect Magic_. He was silent for a minute, and then began to grin excitedly as he opened his eyes.

"Each tomb is giving off magic!" He exclaimed as he practically skipped over to the tomb on the left. He ran his eyes and fingers over the etchings as he scanned for any sign of magic or something that might conceal magic. He didn't find anything.. He even resorted to crawling inside the tomb , but still came up empty-handed.

Elaine and Kerri chose the middle tomb to search. Almost immediately, Elaine could see the faint outline of a false wall on the inside of the tomb. She did a quick check of the outside and found the hidden latch in the petal of a flower. When she pushed it in, the hidden compartment inside popped open. Kerri gingerly pulled out a potion bottle filled with a green syrupy liquid. The label affixed to the outside was worn, but Kerri could just barely make out Dwarven writing.

That left Iados and Lia to search the right tomb. All it took was one look inside the tomb for pirate Iados to find the hidden compartment. Lia searched the outside, and found the latch tucked up underneath the carving of a man praying. Inside the compartment they found a potion bottle with a red viscous liquid inside. This label was also in Dwarvish, but the ink had rubbed off so much it was impossible to read.

Seeing they both had bottles, Lia and Elaine met up and swapped. Elaine closed her eyes and laid her Holy Symbol on the red liquid bottle. After a moment, she announced that it was a _Potion of Supreme Healing_.

Lia looked closely at the Dwarven script on the bottle, but unfortunately it too was too smudged to read.

Carric, instead of helping Ander check the tomb, decided instead to make sure there weren't any more suprises in the rest of the small mausoleum. It was all just one room, and he knocked on the walls and searched for secret compartments in the floor. He'd made it about halfway around when he got bored and wandered over to look at the tombs.

Ander gave up looking in the tomb, and in a huff of annoyance went and examined the tapestries instead. One of them depicted a group of followers in black robes, all raising their hands to something obscured in the top corner. The other showcased the dead rising from their graves. Ander lifted up the ends of both tapestries and looked behind them. All he found were dust bunnies.

Carric and Kerri both went over to the tomb Ander had searched and leaned their heads in trying to find something, but to no avail

"Are you sure all the tombs gave off magic? Maybe the magic you sensed was leftover zombie?" Kerri suggested. "That smell in there sure is."

Elaine walked over and surveyed the inside too. After a minute, she gestured to a spot in the left-hand corner. "There." She says as she traced out a very faint outline of a small compartment. Elaine, Kerri, and Carric combed the outside the tomb again, but they couldn't find the latch.

Iados and Lia came over to see if they could help find anything, with Ander wandering back over.

"Find anything?" Jun asked as he pokes his head in. "It's quiet out here, none of the zombies are rising."

"We've found two potions so far, but we can't find the latch to open the last compartment." Kerri explained as Ander angrily kicked the stone tomb, a move he instantly regretted.

Jun grabbed his Warhammer, pushed Kerri and the others out of the way, then swung. His aim wasn't the best, but he managed to break off a good chuck of the corner where the compartement was. A small, long, rectangular box tumbled out of the hole and onto the floor. Ander dove to snatch it first.

Seeing a small lock on the box. Ander grabbed a nearby chuck of stone and began banging on the lock with fierce determination. Jun sighed after about a minute of no progress. He knelt down, and using the hilt of his dagger, smashed the lock open. Opening the box, he found a rolled-up scroll tucked inside.

"What's in it?" Ander asked, his view blocked by the Barbarian's muscle.

"It's a scroll." Jun said, as he handed the box back to the wizard. Ander immediately took the scroll out and began examining it.

"Remind me not to get between him and treasure." Carric whispered to Kerri as they watched Ander's eyes dart back and forth as he read the scroll.

"What is it?" Kerri asked, trying to peer over Ander's shoulder. Ander quickly rolled the scroll back up and stuffed it back in the box.

"It's a spell scroll containing a high-level spell." Ander explained as he stuffed the box in his bag. "That's all I know for the moment without being able to examine it properly. Did you guys find out what the potions are?"

"One was a _Potion of Supreme Healing_ , but we can't identify the other one." Lia explained, as she handed the green potion to Ander. Ander examined the liquid, his hand glowing slightly while he mumbled.

"It has to do with healing, but that's all I can find out." Ander said as he handed the bottle back. Elaine took the potion and examined it again, this time with 'healing' in mind.

"It might be a _Potion_ of Vitality, now that I think about it." Elaine said softly as she looked at the liquid, her Holy Symbol glowing slightly.

"Do you think there's anything else in here?" Ander asked, his eyes scanning the rest of the mausoleum. "I mean, a Spectator and a ton of zombies are a lot of security for a couple of potions and spell scroll."

Ander headed back over to the tapestries, disappearing behind them as he did an indepth look at the wall. Carric resumed his wall knocking, with Jun imitating him on the opposite wall. Kerri sat down on one of the lids and leaned back. She claimed she was keeping an eye on the ceiling. Iados and Lia sat on the edge of one of the tombs. Elaine walked around the room slowly, pounding on the ground with Lia's quarterstaff.

"I think I found something." Elaine called out as the staff hit the stone next to the door with a hollow sound. When she knelt down and the _Light_ got closer, she could see square of stone that was darker in color than the rest of the floor. Everyone crowded around.

Using a small knife as leverage, Iados managed to work the floor block up and out, revealing the dirt floor. There, was a large square hole. An empty hole.

"Well, there was something here." Iados stated as he shoved one of the _Light_ sticks in the hole. "Gone now."

"That's a letdown." Ander said as he peered in the hole, looking for any clues as to what was in there.

"Maybe whatever was here got moved to the mines?" Elaine suggested. Ander perked back up.

"Right! Let's go then." Ander started heading towards the door. Jun reached out and grabbed the Halfling's collar.

"How about we take a proper break here first." Jun said as he moved away from the hole. "Who knows what we'll find in town. We should eat and make a plan."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Carric grinned as he stood up.

Jun let go of Ander after the Halfling nodded reluctantly. Kerri pulled out her lute and started playing a bit, a soft little tune to help them rest and recover. Ander and Lia took this opportunity to go over their spells again, updating some of their spells and making sure they had the components for others.

"It's times like this I wish I had a focus." Lia grumbled as she took stock of her dwindling supplies.

"I hear you." Ander said as he rummaged around in his bag.

"What about the crystal around your neck?" Lia asked as she pointed to his amulet.

"This?" Ander said he held up the crystal amulet. "This was a gift from my girlfriend. She gave it to me when I left." He smiled at the memory and looked down at the crystal. "She said it'd help me even in the darkest cave."

"She sounds lovely." Lia said. "My uncle gave me something when I left home too." She reached into her bag and pulled out a wand. "It's made of yew wood. He said it'd come in handy, but I haven't been able to get it to work." Ander reached out for the wand and Lia handed it over. His hand glowed for a moment over the wood before he grinned.

"Your Uncle gave you a focus." He said as he handed the wand back. For fun, he went ahead and checked out his crystal, letting out a small gasp. "And so, did my girlfriend apparently." He laughed.

"While I appreciate his gesture, I'll think I'll stick with my components for now. Working a quarterstaff and a wand at the same time might get a little awkward." Lia said with a smile as she stowed the wand away again. Now that he had a tool for focusing his spells, Ander gave Lia some of his components he no longer needed.

Meanwhile, Elaine had recruited the rest of the boys to help her stack the zombie bodies so she could burn them. They'd only just started when Carric pointed out everything was too wet from the rain the night before for a significant bonfire.

Their short break ended up lasting for an hour or so, as Elaine instead changed gears and had everyone help toss the bodies into the Spectator's hole.

"How do we know that burying them won't just give them strength?" Ander asked as he pushed a corpse in the hole.

"We don't, but we have to at least give them a chance at peace." Elaine said. "It's bad enough someone animated them, but to just leave them out to the elements would be disrespectful."

"If I understood the conversation earlier though," Iados said with a grunt as he shoved a corpse. "These guys were just bodies, no souls. Isn't the soul part what people care about?"

"So when you die, I assume you'd want your body reanimated and used for nefarious purposes?" Elaine asked. "Or, do you want your body just left out and exposed?" Iados didn't answer.

"I have to agree with Elaine, at least with burying the bodies." Carric said. "This way the ground will block some of the smell and hopefully not attract a whole lot of wildlife."

"What's the worst that can be out here?" Kerri asked. "Bears?"

"Bears, and some others." Carric said with a grunt while he and Jun rolled the Spectator into the pit as well. "It's getting late in the year, and quite a few species are getting hungry as they get ready to sleep."

"So, we need to be quick about exploring the mines and the settlement?" Iados concluded, "Why didn't we take the time to bury the goblins or Kenku bodies?" He had begun shoving mounds of dirt into the hole. The dirt that exploded out had settled in small piles all around.

"Simple, we didn't stick around the area." Carric said. "I assume we'll be here for a couple of days." Everyone moved as much loose dirt as they could, while Elaine knelt and sent a small prayer up to Pelor asking for comfort to be given to the souls for the sake of their remains. Afterwards Kerri used _Prestidigitation_ to clean them up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! As a note, all of the characters are now level two. Lia and Ander leveled after the zombie fight. I don't have them all level at the same time, because I wanted to reflect some of the training that they had previously. At level one, I rolled percentile dice for all of them to find out what percent of the needed 300 pts to level they already had. Jun had around 80% going in, obviously because of his time in the military. Now, another note is that I'm assuming that during training (especially for the magic users) that they would have learned skills that would manifest after enough experience. This takes the form of higher level spells when they level, and Lia being able to wild shape now. I hope this makes sense, and till next time!


	7. Into the Settlement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Fun fact about the settlement, I ran a group through a version of it to see what they'd do. I've adapted some of their decisions into this and the next few chapters.

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

**_Chapter Seven - Into the Settlement  
_ **

Even though it was nearly noon, no one felt hungry enough for a noonday meal. A few of them, namely Ander, had snacked while studying, but for the majority of them any notion of food was driven away. Turns out that dragging a quickly decomposing Zombie corpse doesn't work up an appetite. Finally, they made their way out of the cemetery gates and into the Settlement itself.

They followed the same dirt road from the cemetery as it led them around a small bend and into the Settlement. As they looked around the party could see multiple buildings; most of them one-story with a couple of two-stories and all all in multiple stages of ruin. Some were missing whole sections of wall and/or windows, while others still had been taken over by vegetation. Their footfalls were heavy as they trudged through the mud and once or twice they'd had to catch themselves on a particularly slippery patch. In addition to turning the dirt to mud, the rain from last night had reinvigorated a mildew scent that permeated the moist air.

As they got deeper into the Settlement, the group saw that along the right-hand side of the settlement the buildings backed up right against the cliff face. As a consequence, some had collapsed due to falling rocks. From the road they could see one building still standing, but it's roof had multiple large holes and the whole building sagged forward.

"What did they mine here exactly?" Jun asked as he scanned the cliff for any signs of a rock about to fall.

"I don't remember," Elaine's voice was quiet as she also scanned their surroundings. "I know it was something common, but I don't remember exactly what it was."

"Common enough to make this place pretty unremarkable obviously." Iados commented.

"Did they carve the cliff?" Lia asked as she looked up at the imposing face. It went up for a good ten miles.

"I don't think so," Carric paused a second to take a good long look at the cliff face. His eyes narrowed as he scanned its surface.

As they rounded a corner, Carric suddenly stopped in his tracks. Ander, who was trailing along behind him, bumped right into his legs and fell back on his butt.

"Hey!" Ander cried out as he stood up. "A little warning would be nice."

"Lia, do those look like Dwarven graves?" Carric asked, completely ignoring the wizard, as he pointed to his left. Lia walked up next to Carric and examined the scene. In front of them, was a clearing nestled between two small buildings. Along the back were three mounds of stone, with smaller stones situated around the perimeter of the space. In the middle, was a pit.

"I've seen something similar to this back home." Kerri said as she walked into the clearing with everyone else. "It was in the Dwarven part of town."

Lia bee-lined straight for the mounds while Carric, Jun, and Iados went to inspect the pit. The other spellcasters checked out the border stones.

Unlike the rest of the Settlement they'd seen so far, the clearing showed no sign of decay or any form of mutilation. The ground was soft and wet from the rain, but that was it. This place seemed like it might have been built only a month or so ago. There wasn't even any sign that a group of Owlbears had gone on a rampage through it.

As they examined the pit, Carric and Iados found bits of wood and other items one might find in a fire pit. A little soggy but not rotted. As he rummaged through the debris, Jun's hand clasped around something smooth. He pulled out a stone with Dwarven writing chiseled onto it.

"Lia!" Jun called as he made his way over to the Elf. She stood next to the furthest left mound, having made her way down the short row. Everyone else followed Jun to gather around, after all it wasn't a very big clearing.

"What does this say?" Jun handed the stone to Lia, who wiped some dirt away and gazed down at the stone.

"I can't make it out exactly," Lia said. "But it seems to reference good wishes on the journey ahead." She handed the stone back to Jun.

"That's what I thought. I've seen similar stones before." Jun explained. "The ones I've seen were placed upon the dead before their pyre was set ablaze." Lia nodded.

"Makes sense, all of these mounds have epithets inscribed on them. They mark the leaders of this community who died, the last one only ten years before the Settlement was abandoned. Everything is written in Dwarven. I think it's safe to say this is the Dwarven cemetery."

"What about the cemetery we passed through?" Kerri asked. "Elaine, that account that you read, did it say how long the Settlement had been taken over before the Owlbear attack?"

"It didn't give any specific dates, and the account wasn't very thorough. They said they weren't allowed to prepare for the winter, and by the time the first snow fell, the cleric and his servants had made themselves at home." Elaine recounted, thinking back. "Dwarves are good at stonework, right? Do you think it would have taken them very long to build that wall and mausoleum?"

No one had an answer.

"This place just keeps getting creepier." Iados said as a shiver went up his spine. "What'd you guys find out about the smaller rocks?"

"They're basic magical barrier rocks. There's a rune inscribed in them." Ander said with an offhand wave. "It's nothing too astonishing."

A crack of thunder sounded from almost directly above them. Looking up, dark clouds had gathered once again.

"We should find shelter," Carric announced as he headed out of the clearing. As he looked up at the gathering clouds, a streak of lightning came down and struck the top of the cliff-face. Only a few seconds they heard the crack of thunder.

They all headed off down the street, their eyes roving around trying to find someplace. As they kept an eye out, they could see some of the buildings slightly wave as the wind picked up. Needleless to say, they hoped there was a better option.

Kerri was the first to notice the small cave, its dark entrance blended in with the shadows off the cliff face. With every passing minute, the sun was blotted out ever more by the dark clouds gathered above.

"I found a cave," She called as she stepped up to its entrance. With the dimmed light, she relied on her _Darkvision_ to be able to see. When she stepped in about ten feet, she saw a lump against the back wall.

"See anything?" Elaine asked as she and the others crowded around the entrance. As she spoke, she reached out to grab a rock off the ground.

Just as Kerri opened her mouth to answer, the lump along the back wall began to move with a loud rustling sound. Kerri instinctively backed up towards the entrance. Seeing Kerri's form back up and go rigid, Iados pulled out his sword and closed in. As he peered around the edge, it did not take him long to realize that he couldn't see in the dark.

The lump moved closer towards the light of the entrance, and with a gulp Kerri recognized it for what it was.

"Owlbear!" The bard cried out as she turned and ran out the entrance and down the road along the cliff face. Iados backed up as well with her cry, but not as far. He went about thirty feet out before he turned and stood ready with his sword. His eyes roamed the area around the entrance taking in his surroundings.

Carric wasted no time in getting out of there as he pulled his bow, notched an arrow, and ran after Kerri. He knew the danger Owlbears presented and he wanted none of it.

Elaine, her mouth twisted in confusion just a bit, nonetheless tore off after her friend. "What exactly is an Owlbear?" She asked Kerri as they ran.

"How do you not know what an Owlbear is?" The bard asked incredulously. "You read a whole account about them? What'd you think they were?"

"I figured they were akin to a black bear, but now I'm rethinking that." Elaine pulled out her crossbow. "I'm a healing cleric, not a nature cleric. Nature and I don't get along."

"Trust me, no one gets along with an Owlbear." Carric said as he came up behind them. "If you didn't know, why didn't you ask before now?"

"Honestly?" Elaine said, and both Kerri and Carric nodded. "I didn't think we'd run into one."

Ander risked a quick look inside the cave, just enough to make out the now very large shape of the Owlbear. He shot out a _Magic Missile_ and booked it down the street without waiting to see how the creature reacted.

Following Ander's cue, Lia threw her hand out over the Wizard's head and muttered a spell. Green energy flowed out of her hand and flew towards the same area where Ander's _Missile_ struck. She could hear the cracking of the ground as vines and weeds sprang forth. She didn't wait to see the full effects before she followed right on the heels of the Halfling.

Jun got his warhammer out and ready, waiting until everyone had moved past him before he started down the road. He didn't get very far before the large purple-tinged fur and feather coated creature came tearing out of the cave on all fours. Its beady eyes burned with rage from the two attacks already pitted against him as a sharp grunt escaped its beaked mouth. The creature saw Jun first and raced after him. He attempted to claw the barbarian's back, but Jun zig-zagged out of the way.

Seeing the creature attack Jun just a few feet away, Iados knew he couldn't just run. He sheathed his sword, cast a critical eye along the cliff face, then at the creature. "I hope this works." He muttered as he took a running start towards the wall. As a true testament to his skill, Iados used the wall as a launch pad and hurled himself onto the back of the Owlbear. He nearly overshot his landing, but he was able to grab hold of some feathers and hung on.

Kerri looked back when she heard the beast emerge from the cave, and was just in time to see Iados fly off the wall. She skidded in her tracks and yelled out _Inspiration_ to the Tiefling monk as he soared through the air.

_"Holy crow_

_Keep your hold,_

_Cause there's no bow_

_So be bold!"_ She sang through cupped hands before she pulled out her rapier and just waited to see the result. A part of her yelled to get the hell out of there, but the story teller in her wanted to see how this worked out.

"Actually, there is a bow." Carric corrected as he pulled up next to Kerri and trained the aforementioned bow at the Owlbear. Just before he released his arrow, he cast _Hunter's Mark_ upon it, and felt the invisible, mystical connection he now shared with the creature hum to life.

"I thought we were running?" Elaine asked as she too readied and raised her weapon. She pulled the trigger. Both her bolt and Carric's arrow pierced the side of the Owlbear, who growled in pain.

"Apparently not," Ander stopped just a few feet from the trio, and turned to face the creature. He reached up with his right hand and grasped his newly discovered arcane focus. A blue beam of crackling energy raced out of out his other hand as he pointed at the Owlbear. The _Witch Bolt_ circled around the creature's leg, and with a wicked grin, Ander sent a wave of lightning down. "Besides, Jun's on retainer with the Circle, and I'm not ready to give him up."

"Then let's do this right!" Lia stated as she whipped around and threw down her quarterstaff, eyes wide in excitement. She knelt down on the ground and closed her eyes, whispering words that till now were just recitations for future use. Her form gave a light glow as it shimmered and grew, and within seconds a large brown bear stood where Lia used to be.

Bear-Lia growled and charged towards the Owlbear. She reached out with a claw and slashed down the feathered face. With a snarl, she attempted to bite as well, but her foe moved out of the way.

Jun, more than a little impressed by the show of force by the rest of the party, raised his warhammer. He ran forward and attempted to help, but the Owlbear dodged his attack as it turned all of its attention towards the brown bear.

As it bled from the wound on its face, the Owlbear connected with a claw of its own and a vicious bite. Bear-Lia whimpered from the pain, but stared down her opponent.

Iados, who by now had regained his balance and sat atop the creature, pulled his sword and tried to stab down. As the creature moved to dodge the incoming attacks from the ground, Iados's balance was once again thrown off. His blade skidded off a bony knob without even drawing blood, but he was able to stay on top of the Owlbear.

Kerri, feeling bolstered by the sight of Bear-Lia ran up to the action. She was careful to keep Bear-Lia between her and the Owlbear. She attempted to grab Bear-Lia to cast a spell, but the large bear kept just out of reach. Frustrated, Kerri stepped back and got ready to jump in, if needed.

Carric and Elaine both sent out more ranged attacks. The projectiles landed with a thud and they readied their next round.

With his _Witch Bolt_ connection still in play, Ander merely sent another wave of lightning down the line. As the Owlbear roared in pain, it's breath now came in heavy gasps.

Bear-Lia charged forward and sank her claw into the Owlbears side while it was distracted by the pain. With a final roar the creature collapsed, and took the Tiefling with it. Iados wasn't able to jump clear, and with a heavy thud he crashed to the ground with his lower half pinned by the large body.

Luckily, Jun was able to pull him free relatively easily.

"What were you intending to do?" Jun asked as he leaned over the Tiefling, both of them panting.

"Distract it so the rest of you could run." Iados answered with a grin from the ground. "Next time, I think I'll just run."

Jun gave a deep laugh and everyone began to relax, relieved that the threat was gone.

Just then, another growl came out of the cave. A second Owlbear, this one slightly smaller than the first, tore out of the entrance. Weeds and vines still clung to its feathers as it took in the sight of its mate on the ground. Its gaze came to rest on the still-transformed brown bear.

With a roar the Owlbear bounded towards Bear-Lia. It swiped out with a claw that raked down the brown bear's side. Lia reverted back with a flash of light, her pack still on her back, and the Owlbear above her, murder in its eyes. The Owlbear reared back its head and came down with a bite attack. Lia threw up her arms in protection, and the beak gorged a long gash down the length of her right arm. As the Owlbear reared its head back, beak covered in blood, Lia collapsed in a bloody heap.

Kerri spared only a glance down at the unconscious Elf before spouting off a quick _Healing Word_ and stepping in over her. She reached out with her rapier but missed as the Owlbear moved out of the way, its query disabled.

Carric willed his _Hunter's Mark_ to switch to this new foe and fired with an arrow. The arrow just barely missed as the creature moved.

Elaine shot out another bolt and buried it in the creature's feathers.

Ander shot his hand out, and again a blue beam streaked out and wrapped itself around the creature's leg. Lightning snaked through the _Witch Bolt_ and the creature howled in pain.

As Kerri's words of healing reached her ears, Lia came to. She crawled a few feet away before she felt safe to stand. As she stood up, she cast _Poison Spray_ towards the purple form, and watched as a small cloud of noxious gas formed around the Owlbear's head. It didn't even blink.

Jun charged forward, his warhammer swung up over his head. With a yell, he slammed it into the creature with all his strength. Loud snaps filled the air as several rib bones broke under the pressure.

Its attention focused on Jun, the Owlbear reared back angrily and attacked. Jun dodged the attacks, barely.

Back on his feet, Iados looked around anxiously for the sword he'd dropped in his fall. He found it a couple of feet away embedded in the ground. He reached out and grasped the hilt, ready to pull and help with this newest threat. With a crack, the blade snapped. He was left standing with a hilt and just a foot of metal.

Kerri, her head seriously yelling at her to get the hell away, swung out with her blade again. This time it connected and left a small gash in the creature's leg.

Carric and Elaine shot their weapons, but only Carric's connected.

Ander willed another burst of lightning on down the beam, and the smell of burnt feathers filled the air as the creature gave a final wail and collapsed down next to its mate. As the lightning raced down, thunder filled the air and large drops of rain began to fall from the sky.

"Get inside the cave!" Carric yelled out as the rain fell with more intensity, the wind picked up, and the temperature dropped. The sky had darkened so much that it seemed like night instead of early afternoon. Adrenaline still thrumming in their bodies, the party rushed to follow the order.

Jun was the first one at the cave entrance, joined quickly by Carric and Ander. Carric scanned the interior with his half-elven eyes, on the look-out for another Owlbear. Jun dashed inside and swung his warhammer around, clearing the space in his own way. Ander stacked the packs that Jun and Carric had tossed aside and worked on gathering torches from them for heat.

Elaine grabbed a few feathers off the ground as she made her way to the cave. She quickly lit them, about five in total, and her and Kerri worked to scatter them around the cave. It wasn't much, but it was enough to ensure they were alone.

The last ones in were Lia and Iados, the former being carried by the latter.

"I'm perfectly fine to walk!" Lia said tersely as Iados carried her inside.

"Maybe, but this is faster." He replied as he set her down next to Ander. "By the way, I nearly fell off that owlbear when you suddenly changed. No idea you could do that." .

"I didn't really know I could either." Lia laughed sheepishly as Iados sat down next to her. "I'd just begun studying it when I left home. But, seeing that Owlbear charge at us, something in the back of my mind told me to at least try it."

"What else can you change into?" Iados grabbed a nearby torch and began to light it. Ander and Carric had started to make a small pit surrounded by a few rocks they'd found in the back of the cave. Kerri and Elaine laid out the bedrolls. The rain showed no sign of stopping anytime soon.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure of that either, but I guess we'll find out." Lia was about to say something else, when Jun suddenly strode toward entrance.

"Something wrong?" She asked.

Iados stood up to join him, his seat being immediately taken over by Elaine who began to clean and bandage Lia's arm. Kerri's spell had healed the worst of the wound, but it was still bleeding a bit, and a large bruise had begun to form.

"What's up big guy?" Iados asked the Barbarian as he came over.

"We should put something in the doorway, to keep the rain out." Jun eyes fixed were on the black sky, and the lightning that was shooting out every few seconds. "This is going to be a bad storm."

"We've got a couple of Owlbear carcasses over there, how about we move them?" Iados suggested, gesturing at the large shapes just a few feet down the road.

"We're going to get wet." Jun said, already shedding his outer jacket. Iados laughed and removed his vest.

"I'm a pirate, a little water is nothing." The two ventured out, and between the two of them managed to pull one of the carcasses halfway into the cave entrance. They left room on one side for a person to get in or out, but otherwise it was effectively blocked.

"Don't suppose you found any dry wood?" Ander asked the two of them as they joined up with the rest of the party. Camp had been made in the back of the cave, away from the cold drafts flowing in from the door.

"Didn't even notice." Jun said off-handedly as he removed his shirt and began wringing it out. Iados just completely stripped down, causing Elaine to gasp and cover her eyes.

"Ever hear of privacy?" Elaine called out as she began to turn around.

"What?" Iados asked with a shrug as he stood there in a loose loincloth and nothing else. He also began to wring out his clothes. "I have a loincloth."

"I don't think that's the problem." Lia suggested as she grabbed Iados's pants and helped his wring.

"Do you not like my body?" Iados asked, genuinely confused at the situation.

"It's not that, it's just that Elaine is a very modest person, and gets embarrassed easily by others….well, nakedness I guess is the best word." Kerri explained as she patted her friends shoulder.

"Makes sense to me," Carric said. Now that he'd said something, everyone noticed that his back was not only turned, but he had moved about five feet away from the situation.

"So, you've never gotten naked in a public bath?" Iados asked as he wrapped up in a blanket Kerri handed him. Jun covered up the best he could with a blanket from Carric.

"I try not to, but this is more of a situation where I barely know any of you, save for Kerri." Elaine said as she turned back around. "It's only been a day, and already we've almost been eaten by zombies and Owlbears." She gave a small laugh.

"True enough." Iados said. "I propose a game then. An ice-breaker of sorts. It's something we'd do on the ship to acclimate new recruits."

"Oh, and what's this game?" Kerri's eyes lit up.

"Truth or pay." Iados got a wicked grin on his face. "We all roll a die, and the highest number gets to ask a question that everyone has to answer. Whoever doesn't answer, has to pay a coin to the pot. In the end, the person who answered the most questions gets the pot."

"How do you know if it's the truth though, can't you just lie and win the pot?" Ander asked.

"Of course, but if someone catches you in the lie, then you have to pay another coin, and they can't roll a die to ask a question." Iados explained. "Either way, you're learning something."

"Ok, we don't really have anything better to do. I'm in." Lia said.

"Why not, could be fun." Jun said. He dug into his pack and pulled out his bone dice. "Let's play."


	8. Truth or Pay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for a little team-bonding! I'm interested in knowing which characters are the favorites so far. Drop a comment below and let me know!

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

**_Chapter Eight - Truth or Pay  
_ **

"Alright, everyone roll the die in this circle." Iados said as he carved out a circle in the dirt. He then made a second circle next to it and labeled it 'Pot'.

"Now, you said to put a coin in, are we talking gold, silver, or copper?" Ander asked as he begrudgingly dug into his belt pouch.

"Your choice," Said Iados as he moved back to his place in the circle. "From my experience, the people who pay with a gold usually have more to hide, or they're broke."

"Should we put ground limits on the questions?" Elaine asked as she too got a handful of coins ready.

"I don't think so," Lia answered. "After all, we're doing this to find out more about each other." Elaine shrugged and settled back. She was a little nervous, but Kerri gave her a reassuring smile.

"Alright, I'll start." Jun said as he reached over and rolled the die. They all took turns, and after a couple of rerolls, it was decided that Carric was the first to ask.

"Uh, why don't we start off with an easy one. Favorite color?" Carric asked as he glanced around the group. "I like green."

"So do I," said Lia. "Though, I like light greens better than dark greens."

"Yellow," said Elaine. "It reminds me of the sun, and Pelor."

"Give me a blue, like the ocean." Kerri added.

"I'm with Kerri," said Iados as he reached over for a high-five that Kerri enthusiastically returned. "Some of my best memories are on the water."

"Good for all of you, but I'll stick with the majestic purple." Ander said, with a faint smile. "Jun?"

"White, the color of unbroken snow." Jun said with a soft smile and a wistfulness to his voice. Kerri's face twisted in mild curiosity, and Jun caught it. "Did you expect me to say 'red the color of blood'?" He asked the bard with a playful smile.

"Honestly, yes. You are a barbarian, and they do have a rep." She answered.

"I'm a barbarian, yes, but you can say I came to it late in life." Jun told her. "I grew up as a servant in a Noble house in the Nydag Empire. It wasn't till I joined the army that I began following my barbarian instincts."

"So, white as in blank canvas?" Kerri asked. "I'm sorry to be nosy, but I'm not following here." Jun shook his head.

"It's a story you all might as well know, in case you have to work to bring me out of a _Rage_." He explained with a shrug. "The first time I went into a _Rage_ , it was during a battle. We were fighting the army of another lord, some sort of territory dispute." He began, his eyes becoming unfocused as he stared into the light of the torch as the memories surfaced. "I remember my anger washing over me in waves, fueling my adrenaline. The sound of my heart beat filled my ears. The edges of my vision went red and it was like for the first time, I'd come into my own. I barely remember the fight, but afterwards my own comrades were afraid to come near me. I stumbled out a way from the fighting, and that's when I realized it'd begun to snow, but I couldn't feel the cold. I sank down against a rock, my mind and body tired, and I just watched the snow. I must have been sitting there for a while, because I watched as the snow piled on top of my bloody footprints, and eventually hid them from sight. The world around me seemed to change, with just a simple covering of snow. The anger seeped out of me as the world around me was restored to a scene of tranquility rather than violence. That scene is what I think back on as I come out of my _Rage_ now. It helps to center and calm me." Jun finished, making eye contact with everyone.

"Wow." Kerri said. She reached into her bag, grabbed a gold piece, and threw it in the pot. "So, next question."

"Wait, what's that for?" Ander asked, pointing at the gold piece. "Why'd you pay?"

"We got way more than just a favorite color out of that," Kerri said gesturing at Jun. "I felt it deserved a gold." Jun smiled and gave her a nod in thanks.

"Next round!" Iados chimed and everyone rolled the die. Iados came out the winner, and he rubbed his hands together as he surveyed the group.

"Alright, I think it's time we get a bit more personal." He said, a glint in his eye. "When was your first time, and I am talking about sex." He clarified as he saw Ander start to open his mouth. It shut with a silent snap. "I'll start. It was a barmaid in some bar in Osthom just after I'd joined the pirate crew. I'd won the pot at the card table, and instead of paying me in money, they paid me with her." Iados said. "Well, to be honest, they paid her the money from the pot to be with me, but either way the end result was the same."

"My first time was with my first boyfriend." Lia recalled. "I'd just turned a 100, and we were a little wine drunk. He called it a late birthday present, I came to call it fast and sloppy." Lia answered with a laugh that was shared by everyone. "Kerri?"

"An old boyfriend as well." Kerri said. "Nothing special, we were just hanging out after a performance one night and I went for it."

"That was my philosophy the first time." Carric said, not meeting anyone's eyes. "I'm pretty sure she was dared to do it, but we were both virgins and didn't want to be picked on anymore."

"Who picked on you?" Kerri asked.

"Teenagers stuck in an orphanage can be very cruel." Carric explained while he dug out his waterskin and took a swig. "Ander, you're up."

Ander sat there, rolling a silver piece in his hand for a moment before finally sighing and dropping it in the pot without a word.

"I did what all the young men in my town did." Jun proclaimed loudly. "Went to the local brothel and paid for it. First times are awkward enough, so I figured why not go to the professionals." Kerri, who had been taking a drink from her own waterskin, suddenly began to cough that eventually turned into a laugh. Elaine put a gold in the pot as well before turning to help her friend clean up the water she'd spat out. As Kerri's laughter calmed down, everyone rolled the die again.

"Alright, who taught you how to fight?" Jun finally said after a moment of rubbing of his chin. "I learned how too seriously fight while in the army, but I learned the basics from my older brother. Well, adopted brother. He needed someone to practice with, and I was the only other kid his size."

"I thought you were a servant, how did your brother get to learn how to fight?" Ander asked.

"Because he's the Lord's son and heir." Jun explained, and everyone went quiet.

"Explain?" Elaine's head titled in confusion.

"In a nutshell, Lord Shim Chin had trouble conceiving an heir with either of his wives, or concubines. After nearly ten years, all he had were two daughters. He got so tired of not being able to knock anyone up, that one night while he was drinking, he grabbed my mother who had been bringing him more wine and forced himself on her. Now, he wasn't drinking alone, a couple of his ministers were with him, trying to calm him down. Afterwards, the ministers put my mother in solitary just in case, and sure enough she turned up pregnant. Nine months later, she gave birth to a son. The baby was given to one of the wives to raise, but the whole incident became an open secret within the lord's home."

"Your family was allowed to stay in the house after that?" Carric asked. "That sounds like the kind of thing where the servants are packed up in the middle of the night."

"That's what my father was expecting, but his family had been serving Lord Shim Chin's for generations. Lord Shim Chin made it clear to my father the baby was not his, and my father did not fight it. The two of them hadn't had children together yet, so my mother and father did what servants did, and kept their heads down and mouths shut."

"Wow, and here I am, taught by my Royal Guard boyfriend because it was something he could teach me." Kerri said with a shake of her head. "By the way, you call that 'in a nutshell'? Seemed a little long." She teased, and Jun just shrugged.

"You've pretty much already heard my story. I learned martial arts from the monks, and then sword-fighting as a pirate." Iados said before he nudged Lia.

"I practiced using a quarterstaff by whacking my brothers whenever they teased me." Lia said with a smile. "Most of my training though was magic-based."

"Mine too," said Ander. "I'm one of three apprentices for my Master back at the Circle."

"One of the staff at the orphanage would take a group of us out back and teach us how to defend ourselves." Carric said. "He worked in the City Guard part time."

"I picked up how to handle a crossbow and a few other weapons while training at the Temple. Clerics are expected to go out in the world, so they teach us how to handle ourselves." Elaine explained as she picked up the die. She started off the next round of rolling, and Carric came in first again.

"Let's hit a few more basics. Siblings. You can name then if you want, or you can just state if you have them." Carric said. "I've got two, well technically one now. My older brother died a few years back, but I found out I have a little sister a couple of years ago."

"I'm an only child." Kerri said as she leaned back on her hands.

"I'm number five out of nine kids, and the only boy." Ander grumbled as he placed his fist under his chin. "The triplets all died within the same year from different causes, and my youngest sister went missing a few years back. We think she might have been abducted by a cult, but we've never found anything more. I guess you could technically say that I'm the youngest now."

"What happened to the triplets?" Lia asked, concern on her face.

"Nedda died from disease," Ander said as he counted them on his fingers. "Jillian was trampled by a horse in an accident, and Lidda was bitten by a werewolf. Hunters killed her the first night she turned."

"A werewolf?" Iados asked as leaned forward in interest.

"Yep. We're still not sure exactly how she got bit, or who bit her."

"Man, tough luck. My youngest sister was also kidnapped when she was a kid." Iados said. "She was seven, and she just disappeared in the crowd of the market one night. And, I've got a set of triplets as well, all brothers. Mordai blames me for Nemeia going missing and won't talk to me, Morthos and I are ok, and Melech doesn't really talk to anyone. He got cursed with bad luck by a wizard he pissed off, so it's safer for everyone if he keeps his distance."

"What'd he do to piss off a wizard?" Ander asked.

"No clue, Morthos wrote to me while I was away, and he didn't go into detail." Said Iados.

"Six siblings: two dead, two who I don't talk too much anymore, one who hates me, and one who tries to keep in touch." Elaine said quickly as she marked them on her fingers. "I'm now the second oldest."

"Including Lian, I've six siblings. All of them are blood related, I'm adopted." Jun told them. "I don't know anything about my birth family, and I don't really care. Wen got cursed by a wizard and is recuperating in an institution somewhere, and Mei is a concubine for some noble back home. Everyone else I'm not too sure about."

"Don't people know not to piss off wizards?" Ander asked. "Also, how do you know that these guys weren't sorcerers or warlocks who cursed them? Statistically, they are more likely to be all curse-y."

"Okay, getting away from that," Lia said with a shake of her head. "I too have a sister as the youngest, but she was found dead when she was kid. I'm not sure what happened, and no one talks about it. Out of my four brothers, one is dead (disease), and one hates me. Niall and Lael were twins, and Niall blames me for not saving Lael from the disease when it swept through town. I have one sister now, and she doesn't really like me. My Uncle Himo raised me ever since I was a little kid, so I never really developed a close relationship with my siblings. I'm only really close to Hadarai now because he's part of the same organization as Uncle Himo and I."

"That Sanctum group?" Kerri asked, and Lia nodded.

"What Sanctum group?" Elaine asked.

"I'm part of a secret Elven group called the Elder Door Sanctum." Lia explained.

"I've heard of it," Elaine said after a moment. "There's an Elven paladin in the Temple who's dealt with them before." Lia smiled, but didn't say anything else. She picked up the die and began a new round.

"For my question, I'm going to say everyone has to answer." The Elf said. "Before any one raises a fuss, listen to the question." She said, and Elaine and Ander who had sat up, leaned back. "In case the worst should happen, who do we tell of your death?" That question made everyone shut up. There was silence for a few moments as everyone thought of their answer.

"I guess, just inform The Shadow Totem Temple in Esterwill." Said Iados as he brought his knees up.

"Temple of Pelor in Crystaliron." Elaine said. "From there they'll know how to contact my family."

"Not your family directly?" Kerri asked turning to look at her. Elaine shook her head.

"As a Cleric of Pelor, they should know the circumstances of my death first, especially if I die here. They should be made aware of the undead in the area as soon as possible."

"Does it specifically have to be the one in Crystaliron?" Carric asked. "I can think of at least three Churches to Pelor that are within a week or two travel from here."

"I'd prefer Crystaliron as it's my home base, but it doesn't have to be." Elaine explained. "As long as the information is conveyed."

"Is it the same with you Ander?" Kerri asked. "Would we need to inform the Circle first and foremost?" Ander gave a laugh and shook his head.

"No, informing the Circle before Shenir of my death would be a bad move." Ander said as he began to laugh softly.

"Who's Shenir?" Jun asked, looking over at the wizard.

"She's my girlfriend," Ander said.

"The same one who gave you the focus?" Lia asked. Ander nodded.

"She's a warlock." Ander explained. "We've been together a year in a couple of months."

"Is she a part of the Circle?" asked Lia. Ander shook his head.

"She uses the library at the Circle, but she mainly travels. She's been given a task by her patron."

"Who's her patron?" Kerri asked. Ander shrugged.

"Someone in the Feywild." He said.

"Wait, if she travels a lot, how are we supposed to track her down to inform her of your death?" Iados asked. Ander stopped to consider that for a moment.

"I suppose you're right. Go ahead and tell the Circle first, and then you can track down Shenir." He finally said with a sigh.

"Jun, should we send word to Lord Shim Chin?" Lia asked, and Jun gave a hearty laugh.

"Go ahead, but I highly doubt he'd even know who you're talking about." He explained. "Send word instead to Madame Lang's, a brothel in his territory. Tell them that Jun, father of Kai, who is the daughter of Sulhee, has died. They'll pass the message on."

"Wait, you have a daughter?" Carric asked, leaning closer.

"Yep." Jun said proudly. "She's three years old this year. She lives with her mother."

"Does that mean you're married?" Elaine asked, and Jun shook his head.

"No, Sulhee was a 'woman of the night' when we first met. She got pregnant after a night together. When I found out, I offered to marry her but she refused." Jun explained.

"Is she still a 'woman of the night'?" Carric asked, and Jun nodded. "She's one of the more requested girls, even though she has three children now."

"Is that normal? To keep working even after having children?" Carric continued.

"Sometimes. Sulhee works as a courtesan for the higher nobles nowadays rather than as a working girl."

"Not to be rude, but how are you sure that Kai is yours?" Elaine asked.

"Around the time of conception there were about three candidates." Jun said. "At this particular establishment, if there is a chance of conception for the woman, they keep track of the men she's with just in case. Because I'm adopted, my brown hair is more of an oddity in those parts than the norm. So, when Kai was born with brown hair, they attributed her to me."

"But you're not completely sure." Elaine pressed.

"I don't care." Jun said strongly. "I've accepted responsibility of her, and to be perfectly honest, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Well alright then. To Jun's daughter!" Iados said as he quickly dug a waterskin out of his pack and raised it. Everyone followed suit and they drank.

"Back to the question at hand, Lia, how do we contact this Elder Door Sanctum?" Ander asked.

"Just send a message to Lord Himo of Stonepine." Lia said with a wave of her hand. "He's my Uncle."

"That's it, 'just send a message to my Uncle'?" Ander asked. "We don't get to find out anything else?"

"Nope, I'm not that complicated." Lia said with a grin. "Kerri, you got anything?"

"Not really sure actually." Kerri said as she reached back and pulled out her lute. "As I was leaving for exile, my parents said they were thinking of doing some traveling outside the Kingdom. No idea where they would have gone, and with me being exiled, I highly doubt the Entertainer's Guild there would be of much help."

"Do you want me to get word to Maron?" Elaine asked. As the name passed Elaine's lips, Kerri seemed to shrink for a moment. She didn't answer for a minute, until finally she shook her head.

"No," Kerri finally said. "For the time being, if the worst were to happen to me, tell Elaine." Elaine reached over and enveloped her friend in a hug.

"Don't worry, as long as I'm around, I won't let the worst happen." She whispered, and she felt Kerri nod. They let go of each other, and Kerri began to pluck a sweet tune on the lute.

"Carric, I think you're last." Lia said.

"Well, I've only got a sister left, so I guess find her in Osthom and let her know." Carric said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Her name is Jazale, and last I saw her she was a part of the Town Guard."

"Was someone writing any of this down?" Iados asked, looking around. "This last stuff was kind of important information." Lia smiled and dug into her bag and came out with a leatherbound book along with pen and ink. Flipping to an empty page, she titled the page 'Worst Case Contacts'. Starting with herself, she went back around the group and made sure she had the correct information for everyone. Kerri's name was written down last, but Lia didn't put any accompanying information down, even though Kerri said 'Elaine'.

The group played a few more rounds, with the questions ranging from obvious "Favorite weapon" to just bizarre "out of this group, who would you eat first?" Because the pot was so small, it was decided to use it as a 'group funds' for the moment.

By the time night settled in, the group found themselves more relaxed in each other's company. Kerri played the group a few songs from home on her lute, while Elaine told a couple of stories about Pelor. Even Carric relayed a few stories from humorous mishaps he'd seen while as a guide.

All in all, they spent a peaceful night in the cave, and eventually the rain outside lulled them all to sleep.


	9. Settlement Take Two

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure**

**_Chapter Nine - Settlement Take Two  
_ **

The next morning dawned grey and damp. The storm had blown over during the night, but clouds still hung in the sky. Everyone took their time getting ready for the new day.

"Should we do something about these guys?" Elaine nodded towards the Owlbears in the entrance as she checked that her armor was on correctly. "It seems wasteful to just leave them here."

"We could try to skin them, and having fresh meat sounds like a great idea." Carric answered as he dug out a dagger. "Do we have anything to put the meat in?"

"I don't, but surely there's something in one of the buildings around here. People did live here." Elaine countered.

"How about we go and check it out, while a couple of people stay here and work on the Owlbears?" Jun suggested.

"Sounds good, I'll stay and-" Carric was interrupted by Elaine moving past him to the smaller of the two bears. She wasted no time in beginning the process of skinning the hide. "Done this before?"

"Nope," Said Elaine as she expertly cut around the fragile bits, keeping the hide in as much of a single piece as she could.

"The temple back home makes sure that their clerics know some basic survival skills." Kerri explained as everyone took a moment to just watch the dark-skinned woman delicately work the carcass.

"Carric, do you want to stay behind and help Elaine?" Jun asked, but Carric shook his head.

"I don't really think she needs any help." He said. Everyone nodded in agreement. Iados and Lia offered to stay behind and the party set out.

Leaving the cave, the party set off down the way they'd come, intending to scope out a few of the buildings. Just down the road, they came across a group of four buildings, two on either side of the road. Three of the buildings were single story, but one on the right was a two-story.

Getting closer, the group saw a sign over the door written in Dwarvish. They'd all seen enough Dwarvish writing by this point to be able to at least figure that much out. The double-doors were broken, and all it took was a slight push to open them. Inside was a large room. What seemed to be a stage was erected in the middle of the left-hand wall, while the right-hand held the remains of a collapsed staircase. The ceiling went up about 6-ft, brushing the top of the hair of some of the group. Scattered chairs and a couple of tables were all that could be seen. Two doors were along the back wall.

Jun went to take a step into the room, but immediately pulled his foot back as the floor collapsed under him. It seemed to be just hard-packed dirt underneath, but Carric didn't want to take any chances.

"Follow me," He said as he used his quarterstaff to test the floor first. He marked an 'x' in the dirt and dust whenever he found questionable footing. The further they went into the room the more mildew and decay scent reached their noses.

"Do you think this was the tavern?" Kerri asked as she pointed out the stage as they passed.

"I don't think so," Jun answered. "I don't see a bar." The group finally reached the back wall.

"Which one first?" Carric gestured at the doors.

"Does it really matter?" Said Kerri. "I mean, I for one intend on searching both of them at some point."

"Alright then," And with that Carric pushed open the door on the right. This led into a small room with a fireplace on the left-hand wall. Shelves lined the right-hand wall, while a couple of chairs sat atop a rug in the middle. The opposite side of the room held another wooden door. Ander immediately went to inspect the shelves, with Kerri following quickly behind. Jun and Carric stopped for a moment at the fireplace to do a quick inspection, but quickly moved on to the other door.

This door led outside to a small barn. Carric did a cursory glance around, but anything that was usable had long ago rotted.

Ander and Kerri found an assortment of little Dwarven knick-knacks, some with sayings or sketches etched into them. They each pocketed about three of the six they could find. While they compared their finds, Jun came back into the room and checked underneath the rug but found only more rotted wood.

Carric came back from the barn.

"Find anything?" Jun asked. Carric shook his head.

"A dead mule, or at least I think it was a mule." He answered. "I found some tack, but only enough for one animal. There are at least three stalls there, and with a mining operation like this I don't think they'd be lacking in draft animals."

"Well, we know of at least two who survived the initial attack. Perhaps they took the tack, or other survivors." Jun suggested as he and Carric headed back out into the main room. "It's been a hundred years, so I don't think there's much we can do about horse thieves."

"What about horse thieves?" Iados asked as he, Elaine, and Lia walked through the door.

"Be careful of the floor!" Carric called out. "I've made marks in the floor where you shouldn't walk." Carefully the three made their way over, guided by Carric.

As they walked over, Jun, Kerri, and Ander went ahead and entered the other room. Unlike the right, the left room didn't have another door. The fireplace was on the right-hand wall, with another rug in front of it. Shelves once again lined the wall, but this one held the remnants of a few books. A large desk sat in front of the shelves, it's chair broken on the ground behind it.

"Is anyone else getting the feeling that someone cleaned this place out?" Kerri asked as she scanned the almost bare shelves.

"Wow," Lia said as she and the others entered the room. "This must have been an office." Iados opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it and instead went to help Jun and Carric search the room.

"By the way, the sign outside says 'Town Hall'." Lia explained as she went over to help Ander pull open a drawer. The recent rainfall had made the old wood swell up. With a pop it opened, sending both Lia and Ander to the group with a grunt.

"You okay?" Iados called as he and Carric moved the rug out of the way. It was a well-made rug, and heavy. If they hadn't seen the large mold patches growing, they might have considered taking it with them.

"We're good." Lia called back, Ander was already digging in the drawer. "Anything?" The Halfling shook his head.

"It's a bunch of papers, but they're all molded together." He said as he closed the drawer. As he caught sight of his hands his face scrunched up in disgust. "Kerri, a little help here?"

"Sure," She did a quick _Prestidigiation_ over his hands. "Look at this," Kerri handed a book over to Lia. It was practically the only book that didn't crumble in their hands as she and Elaine had searched the shelves. Kerri also found another knick-knack that she'd pocketed.

Lia took the small leatherbound book and began rifling through the pages. She sat down on top of the desk, as Ander worked to open the drawer on the other side.

With the rug out of the way, Iados wandered off. Carric pointed out the faint outline of a trapdoor, and after a little investigating with Jun's help he was able to find the hidden latch to pull it open. The hole dropped down for about five feet, before tunneling out.

"Well, after you." Jun said with a grin at Carric.

"How come I have to go?" Carric stared warily down into the darkness. "Why not you?"

"Me and tight spaces don't really go together." The Barbarian joked as he flexed, his massive stature bulging even more as he tensed his muscles. Carric and Jun were practically the same height, with only an inch or so difference. At a glance, the two of them even seemed to weigh similarly, but Jun's weight was distributed heavily into his muscles, leaving him bulkier in figure, while Carric's frame seemed lankier and lean as the weight distributed more evenly.

"Fine," Carric said annoyed. He dropped down into the hole and made his way down the tunnel. His Half-Elven eyes got him about halfway down the tunnel.

"I need more light down here!" Carric called back. A couple of moments later, Elaine dropped down, a glowing piece of chair held in her hand. She clanked her way down the tunnel to Carric, and together they made it another ten feet before it opened into a larger room.

The room was only comparatively larger than the tunnel. It was about five by ten, and sparsely packed. Elaine and Carric still had to crouch down as they surveyed the room. Along the back wall was a couple of wooden crates, which held rotted food stuff. Sitting against the wall next to the crates, was a small skeleton.

Elaine took a moment to look over the body and found some cracked rib bones with dark staining.

"Judging by these fractures, he might have been hurt when he came down here." Elaine explained as she pointed out the injuries. "The bones also seem to be those of an adult, so I'm gonna say he's an adult dwarf."

"How do you know it's a 'he'?" Carric asked, as he knelt down to examine a ring on the skeleton's hand.

"The pelvis is smaller than I'd imagined a female's to be." Elaine explained. "Of course, I'm not that familiar with Dwarven skeletons so I could be wrong." Carric pulled the ring off the finger and examined it in the light.

"Hey, while we'll alone, can I say something?" Elaine asked.

Carric shrugged, "Go ahead,"

"Thanks for looking after Kerri." Elaine sat back against the wall. "She's never been outside Crystaliron before, and I worry about her."

"You're welcome, but judging by the way she can use that rapier, I think she can handle her own." Carric followed suit.

"She learned from the guards at the Royal palace." She sighed. "I'm concerned, because it's only been a couple of weeks since she was exiled."

"Was it really as simple as getting caught in a closet with the Prince?"

"No, her and the Prince Maron seriously dated for almost a year." Elaine explained. "I'm pretty sure in that time frame that her and Maron were caught in more compromising situations if the stories she told me were true."

"Then what happened?" Elaine shrugged with a heavy sigh.

"I have no idea. All I know is that one morning I woken up by one of the acolytes at the Temple. He gave me a message from Prince Maron. It gave the name of a ship that was leaving at noon, and it said Kerri was in trouble. I packed a quick bag and got to the ship before Kerri. Kerri was led onto the ship by two Palace guards, who waited down on the docks until the ship sailed. I met up with Kerri, and all she told me what she was exiled by the Queen and ordered to never see the Prince again. She was a mess, and she refused to tell me anything else, even now."

"What do you think happened?" Carric asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I'm not sure, but I do know that the Queen didn't approve of Kerri and Maron's relationship. I'm not very familiar with the politics of Crystaliron, as I said I'm not originally from there and I focused mainly on my training at the temple."

"What's going on down there?" Jun bellowed down the tunnel.

"We're coming!" Carric called back. "We'll talk more later." Elaine nodded and followed Carric back up.

"What took so long?" Jun asked as he helped them out of the hole.

"We found a corpse down there and Elaine wanted to examine it." Carric said as he stood up.

"What kind of corpse?" Jun looked over at Elaine as she dusted off her armor.

"Looked to be a Dwarven male," She answered. "Carric found a ring on him." At that, Carric dug out the ring and handed it to the other male.

"It's very plain." Jun held the ring between his fingers. It was a simple metal band, with a design printed on its small surface. Jun handed it to Elaine.

"What'd you guys find up here?" Carric asked.

"A couple of books," Lia answered as her and the others joined the three of them. "I've been checking out the book that Kerri and Elaine had found on the bookshelves. It's a biography of a Dwarven general, and Ander found a journal from the town leaders in a drawer."

"Anything useful in the journal?" Elaine asked as she handed the ring down to the Ander.

"It seems to have been handed down from leader to leader if the handwriting is anything to go by." Lia explained. "I only skimmed the beginning till I jumped to the back. In the last few pages, it talks about Janel, a Dwarven cleric coming to town with two apprentices and a group of humans. It's suggested that the humans were servants to Janel and the apprentices. In addition to the mine renovation, they also requested that the Mausoleum and cemetery be built, but the reason isn't given. The journal ends with an entry about how cold it was beginning to get, and how many people were making plans to leave town."

"I wonder how many people got out before the Owlbears?" Kerri asked.

"No idea, but it does answer why this place is so empty."

"Anything on the ring?" Kerri asked as she glanced down at the Halfling who was staring intently at the jewelry.

"I think this might be an Office Ring." He said hesitantly. "I'm not sure, but the design seems similar to some others that I've seen." Iados reached out for the ring and Ander handed it over.

"Hmm, must be a lowly office." He said as he started walking out to the main room. He tucked it into a pocket. "What do you guys think is upstairs?"

"Want to toss Ander up there to find out?" Jun suggested as they all followed the Tiefling out of the room.

"Why not? What's the worst that can happen?" Iados shrugged.

"I can fall." Ander said loudly as he pushed his way forward to the two of them.

"It's six feet Ander," Jun said. "Besides, if you fall through the floor, then we'll be ready down here to catch you." Ander seemed to consider this a moment. "Besides, everyone knows that the good stuff is always hidden upstairs in places like this." Jun added, and that seemed to make up Ander's mind. His eyes widened and he nodded. Taking off his pack he allowed Jun to lift him up, and with a light toss went sailing through the air.

The flight up there was smooth, but as soon as Ander's feet hit the floor, it caved underneath him. Iados and Jun, not expecting the floor to break so soon, reached out to try to catch the Halfling, but failed. Ander hit the ground with a loud thud, as moldy wood rained down softly on him.

"Sorry," Jun and Iados said in unison before they helped the Wizard up.

"Couple of things," Kerri said in between chuckles as she stepped forward. Behind her Lia and Elaine were trying not to laugh as they watched Ander squirm his way to standing with the two men trying to help. Carric had had to turn to face the wall to hide his laughter.

"One, it's only six feet, why don't you just place Ander up there instead of tossing him?" Kerri asked, a grin on her face. "And two, how about we tie a rope around his waist, so that we can catch him if he falls again?"

"Sounds like a plan." Jun agreed and immediately went to his pack that he'd set down and pulled out a length of rope. Iados held out a hand and went about tying a sailors knot around the Halfling's waist. He then explained to said Halfling how to easily get out of the knot in case of emergencies.

"Ready?" Jun asked after the instruction was done. Ander nodded again, but this time with not as much enthusiasm. Elaine handed him the still glowing bit of chair leg, and Jun carefully lifted him up. Before Ander let his feet touch the floor, he used the chair leg to test it. Immediately he found two more spots that just sagged under the leg. After a moment of searching, he finally found a stable place, and he walked into the upper floor.

Looking around, the whole second floor seemed to be just a single room and was almost completely bare save for one corner. From where he stood, the corner seemed to consist of a few cots and more wooden crates. Carefully, he made his way over to the cots, still using the chair leg to test the floor in front of him. About halfway down, he came to a section that sagged no matter where he tested. Seeing that he'd come this far, Ander decided to risk it, and very carefully crossed the section. He got a couple of steps in before the floor caved in underneath him. The rope tightened around his waist, the sudden force causing the air to leave his small body. He hit his head on the floor as he came careening down.

On the ground floor, the party had tried to track the Halfling's movements as he headed across the room. They listened to the tap of the chair leg and listened as he moved. Their movements were restricted though as Carric found more places in the floor that was too dangerous. Even though most of the floor seemed to just be built on packed dirt, they didn't want to take the chance of a sudden drop.

Suddenly, Ander burst down out of the ceiling a few feet ahead of them. Jun grunted behind them as he strengthened his hold on the rope. Ander flailed as he tried to find purchase, his breath coming in gasps. Iados and Carric were the first to reach him.

"Calm down, you're ok." Iados said as Carric grabbed his waist. The ranger motioned to Jun to give them a little slack. It took a few moments, but eventually Ander calmed down.

"I hate this place." He said as he hung in the air, supported by Carric's hands. "I really don't think there's anything up there, so just untie me."

"Are you sure?" Iados asked, meeting Ander's gaze. "What's up there?"

"Just a few cots and some crates." Ander said.

"Did you get to the crates?" Iados asked, and Ander shook his head.

"I fell before I reached them. They're over there." The Wizard told them as the pointed to a place about fifteen feet away.

"You're almost there Ander, surely you can make that?" Iados asked. "I promise, we'll be stationed underneath. What do you say? Aren't you curious about what's in the crates?" Ander looked up at the ceiling again, his lips pursed.

"Fine, I'll try again, but if I fall one more time, that's it." He said as he jabbed Iados in the chest.

"That's the spirit!" Iados cheered as he helped Carric gently raise Ander back up to the second floor. Kerri came up and handed them the chair leg that he'd dropped.

Ander was able to cross the rest of the room without any problems. Not even bothering with the cots, he went straight for the crates, but found that they were empty with only a few bits of rotten food stuffs clinging to the sides.

Carefully, he made his way back to the hole, and had Carric and Iados help him down, not even bothering to try to make it back to Jun. As they undid the rope from around him, he filled them on his discovery.

"Well, at least we don't have a reason to send you back up there." Lia said with a shrug. "Do you think there's anything else left to explore in here?"

"I don't think so, we might have better luck with one of the other buildings on this road." Elaine reached down to Ander and offered up a little healing.

"So, next building?" Jun as he headed towards the door, rolling up his rope as he walked.

Across the street was a dilapidated tavern with a sign that Lia translated as "The Falling Rock". The single-story structure was just as moldy and decrepitate from age as the Town Hall. Iados and Carric went around the back of the structure, while everyone else headed inside.

"Should we really be wasting time checking all this out?" Iados asked as the two men headed down the side of the building.

"I think we'd be stupid not to, at least a little bit." Carric kept his eyes peeled on their surroundings. "I mean, there's probably not anymore Owlbears around here. The two from yesterday were probably a mated pair, but who knows what else calls this place home."

"Woah," Iados came to a sudden stop as they turned the corner. Behind the tavern, was a bone pile. Carric didn't hesitate as he went in for a closer look. Iados came after a moment and helped him investigate the pile. After a couple of minutes, Iados went inside through a door on the back wall and fetched Elaine. With Elaine's help, her and Carric were able to identify possibly three or four dwarven skeletons, surrounding the bones of a large Owlbear.

"Well, at least some of them put up a fight." Elaine said. "We should bury them."

"Maybe we should just through the bones in the fire pit and let it burn." Carric suggested. "We've got a cold front moving in tonight, so that way we can get some warmth at the same time."

"Would that work? I don't know enough about Dwarven burial customs." Elaine admitted, and Carric shrugged.

"Neither do I, but at the very least they'll be in the pit with their breathen and not out here." Carric stood up and headed inside through the door they'd found in the back wall.

Stepping inside, he walked into a kitchen that was currently being rummaged in by Ander and Lia. A trapdoor next to the door was open, and Kerri and Iados currently had their heads inside.

"Are they all busted?" Iados asked loudly. Peeking over their heads, Carric could see the light from a _Light_ spell illuminating the room.

"Looks like it," Jun's voice said from the cellar. "There's one that looks intact, but the vinegar smell coming off of it is strong."

"Anything else down there?" Kerri asked.

"Just another skeleton," Jun said. "He doesn't have anything on him."

"You guys find anything?" Carric asked, making his way over to the spellcasters. Lia had found a drawer with a couple of books, and was currently perusing them.

"A lot of bowls and pots." Ander said.

"Judging by this cookbook _Stews and Such_ , I'd wager that this place specialized in stews and soups." Lia said with a smile. She stowed the cookbook in her pack. "Iados said you guys found bones?"

"Yeah, seems like the locals took down at least one Owlbear. We've agreed to put the bones in the fire pit we found before." Carric explained as he examined the pots. He grabbed the biggest one he could find and headed outside.

A few minutes later, he and Elaine were joined by the others and together they gathered up the bones and headed towards the Dwarven Cemetery just up the road.

With a few words from Elaine, they placed the bones in the pit.

"I wish we could do more." Lia said as Elaine finished her prayer.

"We can make sure their story is told." Kerri sighed and looked wistfully around the cemetery. "I'll write a song about what happened here, and sing it in every tavern I come to."

"They'll be included in my report to the Circle as well," Ander stood up straight, a determined look on his face. "We should head to the mine now. There should be more answers down there, hopefully." No one had any objections.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this next installment. Till next time!


	10. Into the Mine

**D &D Adventure**

**Pt. 10 – Into the Mine**

"Anyone have any experience with underground?" Carric asked as the group stood at the mouth of the tunnel entrance. It hadn't taken them long to find the entrance, they'd just followed the roads along the cliff-face till they stumbled along it.

"Nope, but I can tell that that is a long, dark tunnel." Iados said, peering into the darkness of the sloped tunnel.

"It looks slippery too," Kerri added as she came up next to Carric holding a _Light_ stick from Elaine.

"Maybe you should ride on my shoulders." Jun looked down at the Halfling next to him.

"Just this once," Ander crossed his arms and looked up. "And only because I don't want to be trampled on if someone falls in there."

Jun stifled a laugh as Iados helped Ander up onto to his shoulders. At Ander's request, a small rope was even tied to connect the two of them, just in case Ander should fall off. Once again Iados did a sailor's knot that could be undone in a hurry.

As everyone headed down the tunnel in pairs, they all walked very carefully. The ground was squishy and more than once someone slid and had to catch themselves on the walls. The water still trickling down the passage from the ground above did not help in the slightest.

They'd made it about halfway down before they came to a particularly slippery section. There were rocks embedded in the ground that had been worn smooth by past rainfalls. Carric was the first to find them, and with barely a yelp he fell down, and continued sliding.

"Carric!" Kerri yelled as she watched Carric slide out of sight, continuing down the passage. Kerri almost followed suit as her foot hit the patch, but Jun's reflexes saved her.

"Thanks," Kerri rubbed her arm from where Jun had reached out and grabbed her. "Everyone, be careful of the rocks here." As they continued walking, everyone kept their eyes on their feet, and in doing so missed as the spider crawled out of the shadows above them.

As it moved into position above them, a second spider crawled silently towards the back of the party. With not even a hiss, the first spider, much larger than the second, cast a web out, successfully trapping Ander.

"What the hell?" Ander called out as the web began to wrap around his extremities. Before anyone could move, the spider dropped down the wall, and bit Ander in the arm. As the sting of the bite subsided, Ander felt the poison that the spider had the gall to inject into him pulse. The whole arm began to tingle uncomfortably.

Taking advantage of their confusion, the second spider followed suit and launched an attack against Lia, successfully biting her as well. Lia gasped as the poison began a dull ache in her shoulder that slowly grew.

Iados whirled to face the spider, and before it could scuttle back up the wall, he'd slammed it with his club. The spider faced Iados, ready to bite him next. The Tiefling dropped his club and brought his hands up for a one-two punch to the spider's face. The spider, still reeling from the combo punch, didn't even see Kerri as she brought her rapier down its midsection and ended it.

Jun, slightly bogged down by the now slightly-panicked Halfling tied to his back, reached out with his warhammer, but with his movements limited was unable to hit the spider.

Elaine reached out, and cast _Sanctuary_ over Ander, trying to help him against the spider. She then moved back, letting Iados in closer to the spider.

Lia, still feeling the poison in her veins, dropped down and _Wild Shaped_ into a solid black Panther. Jumping up on the wall, she attempted to bite the spider, but when that didn't work she growled and hoped to chase it away.

The spider ignored her as it went in for another bite, this time against Jun. Jun managed to move, but slipped and twisted around, using Ander as an accidental shield. Ander screamed as he was bit once again.

Jun swung around again, this time facing the creature fully. With a yell he reached up and swatted the spider, at the same time that Iados jumped up and swung with his club. Both attacks hit the Giant Spider, and it went limp. As it let go of the web and began to fall, Iados instinctively used his club to push it away from him, and instead directed the spider to fall on Jun and Ander. Jun tried desperately to get out of the way, but in doing so lost his footing and fell back on his back.

By the time everyone was able to get the spider off the two of them, and then help the barbarian to his feet, the Halfling was not happy.

"Get me down! Get me off!" Ander cried as he tried to move his arms but couldn't as the web still held him fast and both his arms were numb from the spider bites. Kerri, Carric, and Iados worked to quickly remove the webbing from Ander's arms and legs, and with one tug Iados had him free of the rope.

As soon as he was free, Ander grabbed one of the _Light_ sticks and bustled off down the passage a bit, mumbling under his breath. Everyone could feel the anxiety just radiate off of him, and they let him stew for a few moments. Elaine quietly channeled some of Pelor's divinity into a _Preserve Life_ , healing him and Lia some.

"What about the poison?" Lia asked after she transformed back into her Elf-self as she showed Elaine her bite. Elaine took a close look at the bite.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any spells that can help with it, but it doesn't look deep or too bad. Judging by how the two of you are still walking around and conscious I think you both managed to evade the worst of it. I'll go ahead and clean it, try to keep away some infection, but it should be out of your system in about an hour." Elaine explained.

"Let's catch up to Carric, and then you see about treating their bites." Jun said. Carefully, and with half the party watching the ground and half the party watching the ceiling, they made their way to the end of the passage.

Now, Carric didn't travel far, but it did seem farther in the dark. His body hit something metal as he careened down, and there was a slight moment of hesitation before whatever he'd hit gave way. As he slid past, Carric reached out and tried to grab whatever it was that he'd hit. He hissed as he felt his arm be wrenched sharply as he came to a stop. He just laid there for a few moments, before the sounds of battle from up the tunnel reached his ears.

It took him a minute to stand up. The ground was still slippery, but thanks to his _Darkvision_ he was able to keep from falling again. Before he could start up the tunnel though, the _Light_ reached him and he could see everyone coming to meet him.

"What happened? I heard fighting." Carric called out as the group got within earshot.

"A couple of Giant Spiders tried to eat us." Ander grumbled as he walked past Carric. Carric noticed little bits of web still in the Halfling's hair, but decided not to mention it.

"Are you alright?" Jun asked as they all came into the room. .

"Yeah, I managed to catch myself." Carric said, he looked over, and in the light he could now see that he'd managed to break through a wrought-iron gate.

"Hey guys, check this out." Ander called out, and everyone's attention, if not already, was now focused on the fountain in the middle of the room. It was made out of a white stone, with a cascading torrent of crystal clear water bubbling out from a round column in the center. Before anyone could stop her, Lia had reached in and cupped some of the water in her hands. She took a long drink of it, feeling the cool water on her tongue as it slid down the back of her throat. As she drank, she could feel some of the weariness leftover from the bite she took just disappear.

"It's good," Lia turned back to the ground, and everyone had looks of shock on their faces.

"You idiot! Rule number one: don't go just drinking out of a weird fountain!" Jumping onto the foot-wide lip of the fountain, Ander angrily pointed at the runes carved into the bottom of the fountain. "How do you feel?" He asked, as he began pulling out parchment and ink. He quickly sketched out a crude runic circle before grasping his arcane focus in his hand casting _Detect Magic_ on the fountain.

"I feel fine, better than fine actually." Lia said, not really sure if Ander was listening anymore.

"He's right, you should wait for someone else to try the water first next time." Iados said as he came up next to her. "Come on, let's check out the rest of the room while Ander does his stuff."

The rest of the group spent the next ten or so minutes just examining the room, with Ander and Lia being pulled aside for Elaine to clean their wounds. They found three passages that branched out and empty wall sconces every few feet along the walls.

"Does anyone notice anything off about this place?" Jun asked as he knelt down on the ground and ran his hands along the floor.

"No," Elaine kneeled down next to the Barbarian.

"The floor, is spotless, save for our muddy footprints and runoff from the main passage." Jun pointed at the small puddle of muddy water that had collected around the once-closed gate. "I mean, I don't see any dropping from mice or other creatures, no dust. This place has been abandoned for a hundred years, and yet it looks like someone's been keeping house."

"Maybe there's an enchantment that keeps the place clean?" Kerri asked.

"The only magic I'm detecting is coming off the fountain." Ander said. "And that magic seems to be an enchantment with healing magic of some kind."

"Did the water taste stale, or do you think it circulates somehow?" Elaine asked Lia as she watched the water cascade.

"Let's see," Before anyone could stop him, Jun jumped in the fountain. He started walking around, knocking his boots along the bottom as the mud came off and mixed with the once clear water.

"Come on, get out of the fountain." Iados groaned. "What if we need to drink that later?" Smiling, Jun got out. Everyone watched as the now muddy water slowly faded back to clear.

"Part of the enchantment must be self-cleaning." Ander said with a fascinated expression on his face. "Remind me to include this in my report."

"Will do," Carric said. "So, any preferences on which passage?"

"Let's just start with the one on the left." Elaine offered.

"How about we let three of us scout ahead, with the rest straying about twenty or thirty feet back. That way we won't get bunched again if we run into more spiders." Jun said.

"Sounds like a plan." The group headed out, with Jun, Iados, and Lia in front, and everyone else straggling behind. Lia _Wild Shaped_ into the form of a dire wolf. Underground wasn't her specialty and she felt more useful with claws.

"How many animals can you transform into?" Iados asked her as they headed down the hall. Wolf-Lia turned her head to look at Iados, and let out a small yelp.

"Do you speak wolf?" Jun asked Iados as they walked just behind her.

"Nope, you?"

"Nope." Jun sighed. "Remind me to make up some codes we can use to communicate with you when you're in animal form." Jun told wolf-Lia, who gave a nod in return. "At least you can understand us."

Forty or so feet down the hall, they came across a wooden door.

"Do you think it's trapped?" Iados leaned down and looked at the door handle.

"I can't tell with your head in the way." Jun said. "Do you think it's trapped?"

"Not from what I can tell." Iados angled the light to get a better view. A small yip drew their attention. Looking back, wolf-Lia pointed towards a passageway that continued off in a different direction.

"What's the hold-up?" Kerri asked as she approached the group. The rest of them stayed back.

"We can't tell if this door is trapped." Jun explained.

"I thought you were a pirate?" Kerri said as she knelt down and examined the handle.

"Hey, I was part of the distraction force, not the lock-breaking force." Iados explained. "How about you? I thought you were an entertainer."

"I learned a little bit about locks from an ex-boyfriend." Kerri explained as she stood up. "Also, guys, this door doesn't even have a lock so how can it be trapped?"

"Magic?" Iados asked. Kerri cocked an eyebrow at him as she reached out, turned the handle, and flung open the door.

"After you." She said, stepping aside. With an eyeroll Iados quickly stepped through, followed by Kerri.

"Come on Lia, looks like we're going through the door." Jun said, letting the dire wolf go ahead of him. They'd no sooner walked through the door, then the passage curved around to the right.

"Stop," Iados hissed, putting his arm out and stopping Kerri from going any further. Wolf-Lia growled as the scent hit her nose.

"What is it?" Kerri asked. Iados handed the _Light_ stick to Kerri as he pulled his shortsword. Once her half-elven eyes adjusted to the darkness, Kerri quickly saw what Iados was referring to. In front of them was a skeleton.

Unlike the skeletons they'd seen in town, this one was upright. It shambled across the room, dragging a shortsword across the floor in one hand. It hadn't seemed to notice them yet. Kerri took a step back, getting ready to run, only to hit Jun instead. She gave a gasp in surprise, and that was enough to set off the skeleton. It stopped and turned its bony head right at them with a crackling sound.

Iados wasted no time in charging towards the skeleton, attempting to slash at it. His sword merely deflected off the bony ribs.

"Get in here!" Jun roared back towards the others as he drew his warhammer, went into a _Rage,_ and charged into the room. He connected with the skeleton, reducing its head to splinters as the weapon bludgeoned into it.

Kerri and wolf-Lia charged forward, the _Light_ bringing into focus three more skeletons, all of them making their ways towards the group now.

Jun made a grab for one of the skeletons, and tossed him across the room with ease. In her wolf-form, Lia made a dash for one of the legs, splintering the leg in one bite with her teeth. Iados, seeing that Jun's warhammer made a much better weapon than a blade, quickly exchanged his longsword for his club and broke it in on the nearest skeleton. Kerri just stood back, watching her party members handle their foes with ease.

Everyone else entered the room just as Jun dispatched another skeleton. Elaine drew her mace and finished off Iados's opponent. Wolf-Lia seemed to be enjoying herself as she tested her strength by pulling the skeleton around the room by its leg.

Finding himself without an opponent, and more _Light_ in the room, Iados spied a door. Opening it, he found himself confronted with not one, not two, but three more skeletons. Catching him off-guard, two of the skeletons landed lucky strikes with their longswords. Iados fell down unconscious.

Seeing him fall, Carric pulled his longbow out and sent an arrow into the new room, catching a skeleton in the eye-socket. Kerri grabbed Iados's feet and tried to pull him out of the doorway, tried being the operative word. Jun barreled over, stepped over Iados, and bum-rushed the skeletons back into the room. Between Jun and Elaine (with the occasional arrow from Carric), it didn't take them long to finish off the skeletons. Wolf-Lia stopped playing with her skeleton and finished it off, before shifting form and casting _Cure Wounds_ on the unconscious Iados.

"How are you feeling?" Lia asked as Iados came to consciousness.

"Like I got shanked by zombies." He mumbled as Lia helped him sit up.

"Technically, they're just skeletons." Kerri said, passing him her waterskin. As he took the waterskin, she muttered some words and sent a _Healing Word_ his way just to help.

"Well, that was fun." Jun said as he walked back into the room, his face alight. He did a quick scan of the room. Aside from the passage they'd walked into the and the door he'd just stepped out of, there were three more doors in the room, two of the them on the same wall. The room itself was a large open area with visibly rotting chairs and a few tables strewn about. Some of the furniture was newly broken, consequences of the brawl.

"Elaine!" Carric called out. He was hunkered by one of the tables next to a skeleton. "Get in here."

"What?" Elaine asked as she came of the smaller room, Kerri and Ander moved past her into the room.

"Look at these skeletons, would you?" He asked, pointing at what was left of them. "They look different from those in town." Elaine did as he asked, and together they went over the remains.

While the two of them played with bones, Jun sat on the ground and began mediating. Iados and Lia examined the other doors in the room. Inside the other room, Ander and Kerri found three rotted beds, and a large chest. There wasn't a lock, so of course they wasted no time in opening it. Inside they found a handful of coins, silver, and gold with a few platinum pieces. Each of them pocketed a platinum piece. Also, inside, were two vials filled with a red liquid. A quick check by Ander confirmed these as _Potions of Healing_. These were also pocketed.

"What'd you find in there?" Carric asked as the two of them came out, dragging the chest behind them.

"We found some money in this chest, and two vials of healing potion." Kerri straightened up. She'd had to bend quite a bit to match Ander. "What about you?"

"These skeletons definitely weren't dwarves." Elaine said. "Judging by their stature alone, I'd say they're more of the humans that were brought in by the cleric."

"Well, none of the doors appear to be trapped or locked." Iados announced as he and Lia rejoined the group. "However, the furthest door on the left there, the lock seems to be really rusted so I'd advise we be careful with it."

"Let me see if I can twist it." Jun strode over to the door in question, grasped the handle, and gave it a firm twist. Just as it turned, a needle shot out from a small hole next to the handle. Using the last of the _Rage_ left in his system for the moment, he jerked his hand out of the way, and the needle flew across the room.

"I thought you said it wasn't trapped!" He shouted out at Iados. Iados immediately put his hands up in a 'I surrender' pose.

"I swear to you, it did not appear to be trapped when I looked." He said. "However, as I explained to Kerri, traps aren't exactly my forte." Jun gave a huge sigh, before he turned back to the door and yanked it open.

The hallway on the other side was only about twenty feet long, but it was covered in mushrooms. Big ones, small ones, lopsided ones. Their colors varied from puke green to sickly brown, with their heights being only a few inches tall to easily three feet tall. Along the wall, huge cracks had formed and the dripping of water could be seen flowing down. The smell was horrendous.

"Do you think they're poisonous?" Kerri asked as she covered her nose. Lia stepped closer to the fungi, holding out her hand and examined them without touching them.

"They shouldn't be a problem if you handle them, I just don't recommend eating them." She finally said. "Do we want to try to wade across?"

"Step aside, I know what to do." Ander said as he pushed Lia lightly out of the way. Holding up his hand, a mere dust of flame erupted on the tip of his finger with a flash. He quickly lobbed it towards the nearest mushroom, reducing it to ashes. For the next several minutes, Ander just lobbed _Fire Bolt_ down the line of mushrooms, until he came to the largest one at the end of the line. After a few motes of flame, the mushroom still stood.

"Alright, my turn." Jun grabbed his warhammer and charged down the open path. Just as he pulled his warhammer up to swing, something triggered. A burst of force set off, rippling through Jun making his insides squish. It took all he had not to fall back. All the mushrooms in the area, those still standing and those not were pushed back flat against the floor or sprawled down the hallway. The force sent a concussive wave down the hallway, just hitting Ander at the edge of the doorway. Ander stayed on his feet, but all he heard for a good ten seconds was ringing in his ears.

Jun's ears were still ringing when Carric reached him. Elaine made the Barbarian sit down as she checked him over, looking for any overt injuries. He could see her and Carric's lips moving, but it was a full minute before he begin to hear their voices.

"-seem to be any permanent injuries." Elaine said as she stood up. "He should come out of it soon."

"What was that?" Carric asked as he looked about the room. At one time, there were shelves on the walls in here, but the force of the blast had reduced them all planks of woods and splinters.

"Some kind of spell, must have been set as a trap." Elaine said.

"You don't say." Jun grumbled as the ringing subsided.

"How do you feel?" Elaine asked, kneeling down once again.

"Like I've been run over by an army." Jun said. "Mind you, last time that happened my ears didn't ring this much."

"Good news, I think you're gonna be fine. A lot better than Ander would have been at any rate, or any of us." Elaine said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, that's why I'm here."

"To set off the traps?" Carric asked as he extended a hand and helped the barbarian stand up.

"Partly," Jun replied with a grin. "So, what do we have in here?"

"Good question!" Ander said from behind him.

Everyone had waited till Carric and Elaine were safely down the corridor before making their way, just in case there were more traps. Spreading out and digging through the rubble, the party spent the next half hour just shifting. In all, they found quite a bit of coin, some of it spilling out of a broken chest. Five gems tucked into a cloth bag, a pair of dice that Jun quickly picked up, a potion that Ander couldn't identify, and a small sphere that he could.

"Give me that!" Ander reached forward excitedly towards the sphere that Elaine had just unearthed.

"What is it?" She asked as Ander snatched it from her.

"Something I've been drooling over for years." He explained as his hand began to glow while he examined it. A couple of seconds later, he said a word and the clear sphere began to glow with the same light as Elaine's _Light_ sticks. He gave a small laugh, said the word again, and the light faded.

"What is it?" Carric asked.

"It's called a Driftglobe." Ander explained as he carefully tucked it into his bag. "A little more study, and I should be able to find the right word to make it drift in the air beside me."

"Ok, that's pretty cool." Iados said as stacked the coins up around him. "On that note, guys, we have a lot of coin here."

"I see that, mostly all copper and silver though. I do see some gold." Jun cast an appraising eye over what they'd found. "I don't think this is all going to fit in our bags."

"What about that chest we found before?" Kerri said. "Why don't we just store it in the chest, leave the chest in the barrack room or whatever, and then pick it up before we leave? That way we're not bogged down while we explore the rest of this place."

"Sounds as good as anything." Lia said. She left to go get the chest and in no time they had it and the other chest that was in the room already, stowed away in the barracks.


	11. Down the Hall

**D &D Adventure**

**Pt. 11 – Down the Hall  
**

With their lunch eaten, the group collected their belongings and set off down the hallway. Ander led the way after ritual casting another _Detect Magic._ No one wanted to be illusion trapped again. Even so, every once in a while, someone would reach out and touch a wall or step a little too hard on the ground, just to reassure themselves the hallway was real.

They made it about forty or so feet down the hallway before they came upon a simple wooden door. What drew Ander's attention was the shiny silver door handle adorned on the simple wood. Without saying anything, and completely at ease that there was no magic radiating off it, he reached out for the handle.

Just as his hand grasped the smooth metal, Ander realized too late that the door, was not a door. A tooth-filled mouth opened up front of him, and without warning the door slid around him, cocooning him in a wooden prison.

"Mimic!" Ander managed to yell before he was smothered.

Jun wasted no time in pulling his hammer out and whacking the cocoon. Iados grabbed his shortsword and joined Jun. Everyone else just stood back, with Elaine and Carric readying shots.

"What's a mimic?" Kerri eyes were wide as she watched the spectacle.

"It's a shapeshifter that likes to eat just about anything." Carric explained as he let loose an arrow. Just as the arrow hit it, the door unfurled itself from around Ander, and shifted into a dark grey, humanoid shaped ooze. It stretched itself until it was towering up above its prey. Pseudopod arms outstretched, it roared showing off both sets of its razor-sharp teeth.

Ander, who'd just been the equivalent of spat out, just looked up at and sneered.

"I hate mimics." He snarled as he brought his hand up and fired a _Fire Bolt_ at the creature.

The mimic growled and reached out with his pseudopod hand, hitting Ander and sending him skidding backwards into the wall. Elaine and Carric fired their shots, bringing down the mimic together. It collapsed into a slimy ball.

"That could have been so much worse." Iados helped Ander up. "One time a mimic disguised as a chest was smuggled onto our ship by a rival crew. Damn thing took out three of our mates before we managed to kill it."

"Judging by the amount of slime left, I'd wager this one wasn't that old, or that strong yet." Carric and Lia were both hunched over the slime ball. "He probably wasn't expecting all of us to just immediately hit it."

"I hate mimics, I just hate them." Ander grumbled as he looked over his clothing, moaning every time he found a hole burned through by the creature's acidic saliva.

"Got some history with them?" Kerri asked as she knelt down cast _Prestidigitation_ to fix the holes for him.

"My first year at the Circle, some of the upper classmen decided to pull a prank and hide baby Mimics disguised as mints under all of the freshmen classes pillows." Ander explained. "They were so small that there wasn't any real danger, but mine somehow ended up my nose, and down my throat. The little thing fought the whole time, giving me the worst indigestion of my life, and damaging part of my stomach and esophagus."

"That sounds awful." Kerri patted his shoulder comfortingly, but she did make note of the uses of baby Mimics for later use.

"I couldn't sleep with a pillow for weeks, I was always afraid that there was something under it." Ander shuddered. "Let's just get going, I can see another door just up ahead."

Leaving the Mimic slime behind, the group headed off towards the next door. On the way, Jun took a good luck around and found that unlike the fountain room and the previous hallways, this hallway had visible dust and small animal droppings.

The next door was the same as all the doors they'd encountered before, wooden and simple. The handle wasn't locked, but did give some resistance when Jun turned it.

Walking in, they found a broom closet. There were two literal brooms in there, the straw molded away in clumps, and the wood slightly bendy. Ander walked further into the room, and very easily saw a slit in the wall, just a couple of inches wide. Using one of the _Light_ sticks, he took a closer look. In the back of the slit was a small pinprick of light.

"Do you see anything in there?" Jun asked, hunched down next to the Halfling.

"Maybe," Ander said, sticking the _Light_ stick into the slit. The stick went in only a few inches, before the tip broke off. No muss, no fuss, just a small crack as the stick broke.

"Fascinating," The wizard whispered as he pulled out the Driftglobe, turned it on, and started preparing another _Detect Magic_ ritual. "Jun, I'm gonna be here for a while."

Jun sighed and went back out into the hall.

"He's found a slit in the wall, and won't leave until he finds out what it does." Jun explained as he joined the others.

"Should we leave him here and continue exploring?" Iados asked.

"A couple of us could at least go down to the end of the hall," Lia pointed at the end of the hall. "There's a turn at the very least, and we could see what's there."

"Sounds like a plan," Elaine said. "Ander's got the other _Light_ stick, let me see if we can borrow the Driftglobe so you'd have some light."

"Can't," Jun interjected as Elaine turned towards the door. "The slit broke the stick, so now he's using the light ball."

"We don't need light," Iados said. "I've got _darkvision_ , I can see just as well for a while in dim light."

"I'm good as well." Lia added. "Iados and I will go see what's around the bend, and wait for you guys there till Ander's done. That way we can alert you if there's any trouble." The two of them didn't wait for confirmation, as they started heading down the hall.

"They're going to make out, aren't they?" Elaine asked Kerri as they watched the two of them head down the dark hall. Elaine soon lost sight of them, but Kerri didn't.

"Maybe," Kerri said, as she watched them grasp hands just as they went around the corner. "What do we do in the meantime?"

"I've got those dice we found back in the mushroom room. I could teach you guys an old soldier dice game while we wait." Jun suggested as he pulled the dice out of his pack.

"Why not, it's not like we're on an actual clock or anything." Carric settled down against the wall with the other three following suit.

Around the corner, Iados and Lia were making out.

"Not that I'm complaining, but is this really the best place to do this?" Lia asked as they came up for air.

"Hey, you're the one who volunteered us for recon duty." He smirked. "Are you saying you don't want to make out with me?"

"No, and if we weren't in this dusty dungeon I might try to do something else to you." She said playfully, gently biting his lip.

"You know, there were some beds back there." Iados purred. "They're a little moldy, but I'm sure we can work around that."

"You sure you want to risk that illusion again?" Lia brought her hand up to trace one of his horns.

"Maybe we can just kick Ander out of that broom closet." Iados suggested softly instead after a moment's hesitation. Lia laughed and the two of them resumed their previous activity.

About half an hour later, Ander emerged from the broom closet, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Did you learn anything?" Jun asked as he threw the dice. They settled on a 6 and a 4, a result which made Jun hang his head. Carric smirked as he scooped up the dice next.

"It's an interesting spell. Just about anything you put in the slit just breaks. I tried the broom handle, little bit of paper, even one of the small knife's I have on me. The tips just broke off of all of them. I stuck my hand in, and I didn't even feel any pressure on it." Ander made a show of holding up both hands to show. "There were some runes carved into the stone, and I took a rubbing of them to show a Wizard I know back at the Circle. This kind of magic seems just up his alley." Ander pulled out the rubbing and showed them. "Where are Iados and Lia?"

"Supposedly up around the bend scouting." Kerri said as she pointed. "We're all pretty sure they're making out, at least."

"Is anyone concerned about that behavior?" Ander asked as he sat down with the small group. "I mean, isn't that the kind of behavior that causes drama in a party?"

"In the long run, maybe," Carric shrugged. "I was under the impression that this party was done once we're done clearing this place."

"Well, we've been working so well together, I've kind of been playing around with an idea." Ander said, crinkling his nose.

"What kind of an idea?" Kerri grinned as her 2 and 3 beat out Carric's 4 and 2.

"The Circle employs groups to go out and explore." Ander took a turn rolling the dice. His 5 and 4 were ignored. "They hear rumors of places, like this, and sends a group to check it out. I was wondering if you guys would be willing to join a group like that."

Silence descended on the group for a moment as they considered.

"What all would be entailed if we did agree?" Kerri asked.

"Well, we'd have to submit a request to the Circle, and get certified. Once certified we'd receive badges and papers sanctioning our group." Ander explained. "The money we find and certain items would be ours, barring any powerful magic items. Reports would also have to be submitted on the mission."

"So, we'd basically be treasure-hunters." Carric said with a grin. Ander nodded. Elaine rolled the dice, but couldn't beat Kerri.

"It's something to consider at the very least." Jun stood up. Cupping his hands, he yelled down the hall. "We're on our way to meet you!" Addressing the rest of the group, he winked. "I figured we'd give them a bit of a heads up first."

"Before we head out, do you mind lighting this again?" Ander asked Elaine as he held up the stick from before.

"Not at all," Elaine said as she reached down and cast _Light_ on the tip. "Are wizards not allowed the _Light_ cantrip?"

"I'm not sure," He shrugged as they followed the group down the rest of the hall. "I focused more on offensive spells for this trip. This is the first time I've really been away from home, so I was more concerned about getting back in one piece."

"I understand that." Elaine said. "How many sanctioned groups does have the Circle have?"

"Not many," Ander explained. "Each group has to have a Circle member within their ranks. Nowadays there aren't a whole lot of members who want to leave the safety of the Circle. Most of the adventuring types left and joined groups about thirty or forty years ago. A large number of them went missing, and that's turned a lot of the younger members off volunteering."

"What happened to them?" Carric asked as he slowed his pace to keep up with the two of them. They'd met up with Iados and Lia, so Kerri and Jun were filling them in on what Ander had seen in the closet and vice versa.

"No one really knows." Ander shrugged. "A few of their remains have been found over the years, but not all of them. It's just assumed that they died in battle while adventuring. We can't bring them back to life, and most of the bodies were too old to communicate with."

"So, what you're saying is that there's quite a few unfinished jobs out there." Carric said, the corner of his mouth going up. Elaine gasped and hit him in the arm.

"What was that for?" Carric rubbed his arm.

"Just wanted to make sure you understood how rude and disrespectful that was to the dead." Elaine crossed her arms. "We're talking about whole parties dying, and your first thought is how to benefit from their deaths."

"It's not like I knew them." Carric countered. "Besides, if Ander wants us to form an actual sanctioned party, then I'd like to know what the job market is like."

"Sanctioned party?" Iados asked loudly. "Who's sanctioning it, and who are they?"

Carric turned around and jerked a thumb down at Ander. "While you two were messing around, Ander here proposed the idea of the seven of us forming an actual party and working for the Circle."

"Would that contradict with your work for the Elder Door Sanctum?" Kerri asked as she looked over to Lia.

"I'm not sure, to be honest." Lia told her. "Of course, I really hadn't given much thought to what would I'd do after this."

"Me either, I was going to wait and see if I survived this first." Iados said with a one-shouldered shrug.

"This isn't a decision that needs to be made now." Ander said as he held his hands up. "We can talk about it once we're done here, but it's something to keep in mind."

Everyone nodded, and they set off down the hall in silence.

Twenty or so feet down, the barren rock hallway changed. A small alcove came into view with a pile of what appeared to cloth at least five feet tall and at least ten feet wide. An ornate rug made with swirling designs of reds, blues, yellows, and whites covered a majority of the fifteen feet hallway. A tapestry similar to what they'd found in the tomb from the graveyard hung on the wall. This one showed people sitting in pews while a person in black robes seemed to be preaching. The hallway ended in a large metal door with no handle.

"Wow," Ander said as he pushed his way forward towards the rug. "Look at this workmanship."

"That's an awfully nice rug down here." Iados commented with a raised eyebrow as he reached out and grabbed Ander's arm. "That and the tapestry are probably the nicest things we've seen."

"Your point?" Ander rolled his eyes.

"My point, is that so far everything down here from the brooms to the beds earlier have been rotted with age. Why isn't that rug?" Iados asked.

Ander paused to consider that point for a moment before his eyes lit up.

"Because it's probably magic!" Tugging his arm out of Iados's grasp, Ander approached the rug, prepping a spell on his way.

"What's the worst a rug can do?" Jun said as he and everyone else watched Ander step onto the rug. As they watched Ander begin casting the spell, the corners of the rug began to twitch. Before anyone could warn the Halfling, the opulent rug had rolled itself into a ball, with Ander in the middle.

"Help!" Ander cried out, his voice soon becoming muffled as the rug twisted around him. Lia had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the sight of Ander once becoming cocooned.

Jun grabbed his warhammer and swung out towards the ball. At the last second a sudden thought occurred to him as his hammer slammed into the ball. Ander gave a grunt of pain as the rug-ball was thrown into the wall. The distraction was enough for Ander to escape. Crawling as far as he could.

"That hurt!" Ander yelled at Jun, as he rubbed his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Jun said as he faced down the rug. "Didn't occur to me till I'd hit that you might get hit as well."

"Future reference, person in the rug gets hit too." Carric called out as he sent an arrow at the rug. The arrow pierced a hole in the rug.

"Don't damage it!" Ander yelled out.p.

"Then how are we supposed to stop it?" Elaine asked as she sent a crossbow bolt at the rug as well. Hers missed.

"If you give me a little bit of time, maybe I can find a command word to make it stand down." Ander explained as he got to his feet. "Do you have any idea how much we can sell an enchanted rug for?"

"Do you know how much a rug that size must weigh?" Carric asked back as he sent another arrow piercing through the fabric. "We still have to carry everything we take from here through the forest back to town."

"Jun's strong, he can carry it no problem." Ander waved at the Barbarian.

"What am I doing?" Jun yelled exasperatedly as he dodged the rug that was now trying to smother him.

"Capturing the rug!" Ander yelled. Jun sighed and leapt towards the enchanted decoration.

"Shouldn't you be helping?" Lia asked Iados as the two of them lounged against the wall.

"I'm sure Jun doesn't need my help against a rug," He answered. "Besides, I kind of want to see how this ends."

"A copper piece says Jun gets wrapped up." Kerri held up the coin in between two fingers.

"Nah, he'll tear it apart first." Lia said with a smile.

"I think you're both wrong," Elaine chimed in as she joined them, crossbow back down at her side. "Personally, I think Carric's going to take it out first."

"Just to be fair, I'll put a copper in on Ander taming it." Iados laughed as the four of them settled in to watch the show.

It took about ten minutes in all, between Jun wrestling with the rug, Ander shouting out seemingly random words, and Carric shooting arrows out every so often. Finally, just as Jun had evaded another attack from the rug, an arrow struck the rug and a flash of light emanated out. Everyone closed their eyes from the intensity, and when they opened them again the rug laid in tatters on the ground.

"I was so close!" Ander cried as he fell to his knees.

"Good shooting." Jun said to Carric, ignoring the Halfling.

"Good dodging, I was sure that rug almost had you a few times." Carric said back.

"If I let a rug get the better of me, I'd never hear the end of it." Jun laughed before a large sigh from the wall next to them caught his attention.

"That would have been such a funny ballad. 'The Story of Jun vs. The Rug', I'm sure it would've been a hit." Kerri remarked as she shook her head. "Oh well."

Iados ambled up to the two of them. "While you guys were playing with the rug, we went ahead and checked out a couple of things. The pile of rags is nothing but mold at this point. We used my club to shift around in it. Lia and Elaine also noticed that the tapestry on the wall has an outline of Vecna's symbol in the background." He explained as he pointed at the tapestry. "It's very faint, so you have to kind of unfocus your eyes to see it."

"I went to see if there was anything behind the tapestry, and the part I touched nearly crumbled to dust in my fingers. I lifted a small corner near the floor, and peeked behind but I didn't see anything." Lia explained, pointing out the corner and where part of the tapestry had disintegrated. "This thing is definitely not magical, or finely made."

"What about the door?" Jun asked, watching as Ander made his way over and begin examining the walls.

"We couldn't find any opening mechanisms." Iados explained as he too watched Ander. Not two seconds later, Ander pried a section of the rock out, at eye level to him. Behind it, was a lever. "Obviously we didn't look hard enough."

"This place was built by dwarves." Carric crossed his arms. "Makes sense that the lever would be eye-level to a Dwarf, or Halfling."

"Well, shall I do the honors?" Ander asked as he reached out and pulled the lever. With a grinding noise, the door began to pull up like a portacullis. It got a few feet off the ground, before a loud snap was heard and the door crashed back down.

"That didn't sound good." Kerri said as Ander furiously moved the lever back and forth in its holder. Jun went over to the door and tried to pull it back up. However, neither he nor Iados could get a grip good enough to brute force the door.

"Well, I guess it's back down the hall." Kerri sighed as she turned on her heel and led the way.

"Remember, the hallway is only 40 ft. this time." Carric reminded everyone as he followed. Lia went over, and gently guided Ander away from the door.

"Hey, there's still two other hallways we haven't explored yet." Lia reassured him.

"I bet they won't have any magic rugs though." He said somberly, casting a mournfal glance at the pile of tatters as they passed.

"You don't know that," Lia said. "Come on, it's not like you haven't already found a cool magic item. You found that Driftglobe, that's cool."

"Yeah, but it's not worth very much." He said dejectedly. "You can find quite a few of them back home."

"Is money all you look at?" Lia asked exasperated. "What about the spirit of adventure?"

"Spirit's all fine, but you can't buy or rent an apartment with it." Ander explained. "My girlfriend and I want to move in together back home."

"Well, that's sweet," Lia's tone softened, a little taken aback.

"Wait, if you're moving in together, then why are you trying to form a party that'd make it impossible for you to actually live there?" Iados called out over his shoulder.

"It's the symbolism of the whole thing." Ander waved his hand. "It's a signal from me to her that I want to move to the next step in our relationship."

"I think it makes perfect sense." Kerri said as they rounded the corner.

"Please, your idea of moving in with a guy is to crash at their place for a week while you perform at the local tavern." Elaine scoffed.

"Hey, I've saved a lot of money." Kerri countered. "Besides, I never accepted their offer until there was at least a small chance of the relationship becoming more than just a booty call."

"I usually give a relationship at least a year to progress enough before I call it off." Lia chimed in. "Of course, I'm an elf and we do tend to take things slow and savor them."

"So a year to you might be what, six months or so to the rest of us?" Kerri asked.

"Maybe," Lia said with a shrug. "You've also got to factor in the chemistry you have with the other person."

"What chemistry?" Ander asked as his brows knit together.

"Chemistry refers to how the couple compliments each other. There are different types. There's the obvious sexual chemistry, how you to respond to each other's needs and communicate in bed." Lia said with a mischievous grin.

"Social chemistry: how the two work together in actually being able to hold a conversation and discuss ideas and feelings." Kerri added. "Also feeds into how your viewpoints on different issues or situations mesh or conflict."

"One I would say is important is Belief chemistry." Elaine suggested. "How your beliefs be they political, religious, or otherwise stands in versus theirs. Do they conflict? Do they work together? If there are differences, are they big enough to cause friction in the relationship? Can they be worked through?"

"Definitely, and that one kind of goes with Social, but more in-depth." Lia said. By this point, the three females had begun walking closer to each as they compared points.

"Does everyone put this much thought into relationships?" Ander asked Iados as he pointed to the girls.

Iados nodded. "At some point in a relationship, you're going to ask yourself all those questions." He explained. "They're taking a scientific approach to it now, but those are really just questions that come up the longer you're with someone. There are some categories that are more important to some people than others."

"What if you don't ask those questions?" Carric asked, chiming in.

"Then is the relationship really worth it?" Iados locked gazes with Carric.

"Isn't the whole thing that 'love wins' no matter what?" Carric's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Not always," Jun answered. "Sometimes love is bright, but it burns fast. My daughter's mother and I had that kind of love when we tried to make it work after she was born. At some point before her first birthday, our love just fizzled. Those questions started to come up, questions about the future we wanted and they were just too different. Love can be an instigator, but you need timing and perseverance to make it work long-term."

"Some relationships have an expiration date, and you can't change that. Trying to fight it, usually ends in heartbreak." Iados turned to look at Ander. "How about you and your girlfriend, have you talked?"

"We have, but now I'm thinking we need to talk more." Ander rubbed his head. The girls had gone quiet as the boys had started talking amongst themselves. As Iados talked of expiration dates, Elaine shot a glance at Kerri, whose face remained impassive.

As they rounded the corner and headed back up the illusioned corridor, Kerri got stuck for a moment before she was able to continue on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter! A note on the character levels that I should have made earlier, the characters won't all level at the same time. In order to reflect how much training they had prior to starting out, I rolled percentile dice for each of them, and that reflected what percent of the experience needed for level two they had already accumulated. Jun had about 80% of the experience needed, hence his time in the military. Ander had the lowest with around 20%. I do award them experience based not only on battles, but events and milestones. I'm using a modified version of the Unearthed Arcana: Three pillar system. Thank you for sticking with this story and till next time!


	12. Down a Different Hallway

**D &D Adventure**

**Pt. 12 - Down a Different Hallway**

The group found themselves back in the guardroom and decided to try the only other door they hadn't tried yet: the one directly to their left.

Before they left, Iados poked his head into the sleeping quarters, just to assure himself and the others (mainly Ander) that the money they'd left there was indeed still there. It was, and so was a moving dismembered skeletal hand. Iados quietly squished it under his foot and followed the group.

This new door opened up into a short hallway that quickly curved around to the right. Jun took the look lead as they followed it around. Down another short hallway and they discovered that it met up with the first hallway they'd gone down. Retracing their steps back to the fountain, they stopped for a moment to see if it would work for any of them.

"So, which hallway next?" Iados asked as Ander and Jun took large gulps of water. Ander gave a satisfied sign as he felt some of the lasted pain from his encounter with the Mimic just melt away. Jun shrugged and just appreciated the drink.

"Left hall is heads, right is tails." Kerri announced as she produced a coin out of her purse. She flipped it up in the air but got the angle wrong. Everyone watched as it sailed behind her and plopped into the fountain.

"It's heads," Jun grinned as he reached in and retrieved the gold piece. "We're going left."

Once again Jun led the group, mentally making note of the same lack of dust and debris

down this hall. Halfway down the hall (about twenty feet), Carric suddenly stopped and just stared at the wall.

"What is it?" Iados came to a stop next to him.

"Something about this wall seems off." Carric took a step closer to the wall. "I can't put my finger on it."

"I don't see anything." The Wizard saddled up next to the Ranger. He brought his hand up to knock on the wall, but as soon as he went to knock, his hand just went straight through. "I stand corrected."

"It's an illusion." Kerri said quietly as she and everyone else began to crowd around. "What do you think's on the other side?"

"Let's see," Ander thrust his head through the wall. Carric took a step back, just in case something jumped out. Iados was already backed up to the opposite wall, hand on sword. He'd dealt with enough illusioned traps in his previous line of work.

"There's about five feet of hall before it opens out into a room." Ander's voice didn't seem to be affected by the imaginary wall. Elaine and Kerri shared a grin at the sight of the small seemingly headless Halfling body twist back and forth as Ander took in the room "I can see runes on the floor from this side. Finally, he walked fully into the passage, followed by Lia who also disappeared as she stepped through.

"Ander, there are more runes over here." Lia pointed out a line of runes running the length of the doorway on the other side of the passage. With her _Light_ source, she could make out about eight rectangular stone slabs in the room beyond.

"Let me see," Ander crouched down inspected the runes. With a whispered word and a slightly glowing hand, he spent a few moments studying the runic language.

"It's a ward." He said finally as he stood up.

"A ward for what?" Jun called out from the other side of the illusion.

"You can talk regulary." Elaine whispered to Jun. "It's not a real wall."

"I know," Jun crossed his arms and grinned. Elaine chucked and hung her head.

"I'm not sure exactly what it's warding against," Ander answered, "but the strange part is that it's tuned specifically for something gaseous." His face screwed up in confusion.

"Gaseous, what does that mean?" Carric asked from the other side of the wall.

"It means gas substances. Uh, probably anything that billows out." Ander said, struggling to explain.

"So, something like steam, fog, or possibly poison?" Elaine asked, and Ander nodded, and then vocalized because he remembered they couldn't see through the illusion.

"You said there were runes at the base of the wall illusion, is the illusion all they do?" Jun called as he leaned in closer to the wall.

"Give me a second." Ander kneeled down and examined the runes as well. Meanwhile, Lia was trying to see as much as she could into the slab room. "These runes are two-fold." Ander said after a few moments. "The illusion is actually the secondary effect."

"Secondary to what?" Kerri asked quizzically as she poked her head in over Ander.

"To another ward," Ander shrugged and pointed out a string of runes. "Whereas the one other there is warded to keep the gas in the room, this one is warded to keep undead out of the hall."

"Undead?" Elaine immediately crossed over, just barely missing Ander with her stride. With two _Light_ sources now in the same room, it was easy to see that they stone slabs had lids. "Don't tell me it's more zombies."

"Probably." Lia squared her shoulders. "I think we should go in."

"Go into a room we're pretty sure has zombies in it? Are you nuts?" Elaine asked the Elf next to her.

"If I was going to hide something in this place, I'd definitely hide it in there, possibly in one of the tombs." Lia explained. "Besides, if it gets to be too much, we'll just cross back over the barrier." A chipping sound behind them drew their attention. Behind them, Ander was chipping away at the rune barrier with a small knife.

"What are you doing?" Elaine practically yelled as she ran up, grabbed his collar, and forcefully pulled him away from his task.

"What's going on?" Jun hollered, stepping over the threshold warhammer at the ready. Iados and Carric were hot on his tail swords drawn. The small space between the wards was suddenly severely packed. Lia kneeled down the ground, doing her best to not be pushed over the ward line. Kerri had been unceremoniously pushed into the room and was currently sprawled out.

"If you'll give me a little space, I can stop the illusion." Ander tried to wrest his collar free of Elaine's grasp. "Don't worry, I'll be careful not to stop the 'Undead' part of the ward."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Elaine narrowed her eyes, while Jun just watched the scene. Kerri crawled till she was behind Elaine and finally had the room to stand up. Lia on the other hand lost the balancing game and tumbled across the ward.

"You alright?" Iados crossed the ward as well and helped Lia stand up. She nodded.

"What's the plan, just open up all of them and check them?" Carric followed them, arrow nocked and ready.

"Either that or wait and see if zombies pop out." Lia scanned the slabs around noticed that there was one that was positioned away from the others. As the trio reached it, they noticed it was on top of a small dais, and the same symbol of Vecna they'd been seeing their entire trip was carved on the surface. Together Lia and Iados worked to push the lid back while Carric kept an eye on the whole room.

Inside was a very small skeleton, with the remains of a tattered and decompsing black robe hugging its remains. As soon as the air from outside hit the fabric, large patches of it began disintegrating. An amulet inscribed with the Vecna symbol hung from its neck, while in its hands clutched a leather-bound book.

"I think we found the Head Priest." Iados whispered. Lia reached in and grabbed the book, having to break a couple of fingers in the process. By this point, the rest of the party had begun filtering into the room and started to sepearte as they searched.

"What's it say?" Iados glanced over Lia's shoulder as she opened the book.

"It's his journal," She quickly skimmed the first page and then started to flip the pages stopped every once in a while to skim. Near the end of the book, the handwriting chanaged.

"What happened?" Iados asked, bent over the tomb as he ran his hands over the inside. After the trouble they had with the last batch of tombs, he didn't want to take chances.

"The Priest died in the Owlbear attack." Lia hopped up on sat on the edge of the tomb as she summarized. "His two followers dragged his body down here, along with what was left of their prisoners, and they locked themselves down here away from the attack. They were down here for at least two months, surviving off magicked food and water. I'll need more time to really go through it, but it says that their mission here was to guard a book."

"A book, all of this for a book?" Jun came up to them following the far wall.

"From the sounds of it, it was an evil book. Really evil." Lia said, her eyes darting back and forth as she scanned the pages.

"From everything I've heard about Vecna, I'm not surprised that there's an evil book at the heart of this." Kerri slapped the lid of a tomb she was leaning on. "Should we break open another one of these slabs?"

All of a sudden, Carric, Lia, and Iados suddenly winced and gasped as a sharp pain shook their body. The pain lasted for about ten seconds, and then was gone.

"What was that?" Elaine rushed over to them, reaching Carric first and examing him for injuries.

"I don't know," Carric brushed Elaine off and stooped down to pick up the arrow he'd dropped. "All of a sudden, I couldn't breath and I hurt."

"Great, an invisible poi-" A loud thud interrupted Jun. Everyone stopped. Silence descended for a few seconds before there was another thud, and another. The thuds seemed to be coming from the tombs.

"Time's up!" Jun yelled and everyone agreed. Lids began to be scrapped off as the rancid smell of the zombies started to permeate the room. Kerri and Jun were cut off as lids slid off and zombies popped up. One of the zombies tripped getting out of his tomb and fell at Jun's feet. The Barbarian wasted no time in pulling his Warhammer and crushing the zombie's skull. Kerri wasn't as lucky as the zombie facing her deftly slid out. Reaching out with his fist, he slammed Kerri into the wall before she could pull her rapier.

Carric and Elaine both readied their weapons and took up positions near the doorway. As more zombies started crawling out, they started taking pot shots.

"Get off her!" Lia cried as she grabbed the zombie with her _Thorn Whip_ and pulled him away from Kerri. Kerri got to her feet, drew her rapier and attacked. Within moments the girls had put down the zombie.

Iados climbed into a tomb, and started whacking on the zombie trying to crawl out.

Suddenly, that same searing pain from before hit everyone in the room, including the zombies.

"Back to the hall!" Jun cried as he ran around a tomb, stopping for a moment to pull Iados out of the tomb. Ander was already out in the hall when everyone else stumbled through. Elaine and Carric stood there and continued taking shots at the zombies that tried to follow. As everyone made it out into the main hall, there was second to realize that they werent' looking at a wall anymore.

"I thought the plan was to leave, not to continue fighting?" Ander asked as he threw in a few _Fire Bolts_. "They can't make it through the ward anyway."

"I'd feel better putting these guys to my back if they're no longer moving." Carric said as he felled the last zombie. "Besides, these ones don't seem as tough as the ones from before." As if to prove a point, the one he'd just put down stood back up. Before Carric could finish it off, the shuddering pain racked its body and it fell down limp.

"Quick question," Kerri asked as she leaned against the wall breathing heavily. "If you put in zombies to protect a room, why would you then fill the room with poison gas that affects the zombies? Wouldn't it make more sense to make the zombies immune?"

"Maybe this book has some answers." Lia said as she held up the journal.

"Elaine and I need to go back in and gather as many of our arrows and bolts as we can." Carric said. "Anyone want to come with?"

"I'll go." Iados raised his hand. "I want to take a second look in all the tombs anyway, maybe there are some secret compartments like before."

"I'll go with you, and we'll make it a quick search, who knows how much of that poison is needed for it to be fatal." Jun said, and the four of them trekked back into the room.

Kerri and Ander took one of the _Light_ sticks and headed down the rest of the hallway just to scout it. Lia sat down against the wall and went through some more of the journal.

As she read over the words, she was thankful that no one else in the party read Dwarven. If they did, the journal would give them way more answers than she could allow. She focused her reading on the last few pages, before she ripped them out and hid them in her shirt.

About five minutes later, the four of them came stumbling out of the room.

"We're gonna go hit the fountain real quick." Iados slurred, before the four of them headed back up the hall. Ander and Kerri rejoined Lia, and they decided to follow.

Taking a short break around the fountain in an effort to recover some health from it, Lia filled them in.

"From what I've read, it seems that after the Head Priest died, the two apprentices began to fight over who was to succeed him. Honen, the one who wrote in the journal, believed that it was best to guard the book as they'd been told and work on finding a way out."

"Why didn't they just leave the mine? Surely the Owlbears had left after a few days." Elaine said.

"It seems that after the Owlbears left, other scavengers all over the area came and picked over the remains. About a week after the initial attack, a freak lightning storm hit the area and caused a rockslide. Part of Honen's efforts were using the prisoners to dig a way out."

"We didn't see any evidence of a rockslide topside." Jun said.

"It's been a hundred years," Kerri said. "A lot could happen." Jun shrugged.

"Anyway," Lia continued. "While Honen worked on that, the other apprentice Jaret decided that the way to leadership was power."

"Let me guess, he started reading the evil book." Ander said, and Lia nodded.

"Apparently he'd seen what the book could create, their master had made the zombies in the graveyard. While the mine had been renovated, they'd stored the book in the graveyard and the zombies were security. After they moved the book, the master summoned the Spectator as kind of an experiment to see if he could."

"So, let me guess, the zombies from before and the skeletons were the work of this Jaret." Carric guessed and Lia nodded again.

"Once it came to life exactly what was he was doing, Honen tried to fight him. He enchanted several items, such as the rug, and placed an enchantment on the skeletons so they couldn't leave. It seems though, that Jaret used a Teleportation Circle to leave, and left Honen here alone. All of the prisoners were used for Jaret's experiments."

"Honen was the one who set up the runes and gas then, to keep the zombies in and eventually destroy them." Ander reasoned. "What about Honen himself, where is he?"

"The book ends with Honen saying he was going to try to leave one last enchantment in case anyone ever found him." Lia said.

"I guess that explains the skeleton." Kerri said, munching on a piece of jerky.

"Wait, what skeleton?" Jun asked.

"While you guys went back in for the arrows, Ander and I checked out the end of the hall." Kerri explained. "The hall ends in a small room. All that's there are two suits of armor, and a skeleton sitting at a table."

"We decided to get the whole group together before we touched anything." Ander added. "Did you guys find anything more in the tombs?"

"No," Iados said dejectedly. "I even gave the zombies pat-downs but I didn't find anything."

"Well, I think we've rested long enough, let's go check out this last skeleton." Elaine said as she stood up.

Heading back down the hallway, it wasn't soon before they entered the room. Just as Kerri had described, the two back corners were each home to a tarnished silver suit of armor, longswords held at attention in front of them. The center of the room held a simple wooden table, in which a skeleton dressed in a faded brown robe sat. Its head was down while the hands rested on the table. In the center of the table was a bowl, with a copper, silver, and gold piece resting in the bottom.

"Well, this isn't creepy." Elaine said as they gathered around the room. Ander approached the table and peered over the edge of the bowl. He had to stand on his tiptoes. Reaching a hand in, he attempted to grab the coins from the bottom of the bowl but they wouldn't budge.

"What do you guys think?" Jun said as he eyed the suits of armor warily.

"Why don't we try putting more coins in the bowl?" Kerri asked. Being closest to the bowl, Ander grabbed a copper coin out of his pouch and slipped it into the bowl. The coin clanked against the metal of the bowl until it came to rest.

"Is it working?" He asked, trying to peer around to the skeleton. From his angle, Ander was the only one to see the flash of light streak across the empty eye sockets.

With a creak and a clash, the armor to the right sprang to life. With two large strides, the armor moved forward and attacked Ander. With an agility hidden by its bulky form, the armor brought two attacks with its longsword down on the Halfling. The front of Ander's robes were cut as the two slashes tore through him. Stumbling back, Ander scrambled against the wall. Jun pulled his warhammer out and attempted to block the armor, but his attack merely bounced off. The armor deftly moved around Jun and went in for another attack. This time the blade cut deeply into Ander's shoulder and with a cry of pain the Halfling slumped to the ground unconscious. As soon as Ander stopped moving, the armor moved back into attention.

"Ander!" Elaine said as she moved towards him quickly and pumped her last healing spell into him.

"That was terrifying." Lia gulped loudly as she stared at the unmoving suit of armor. Her eyes traveled down to his sword still glistening with Ander's blood. "Maybe the money was the wrong route."

"Or maybe we were just cheapskates." Iados said. Holding out his hand towards Lia he asked for a gold.

"Why do I have to pay?" She asked. "Don't you have money?"

"Yes, but technically you agreed to pay for expenses." He said with a smirk. Eyes narrowed, she handed over the gold piece. Tiptoeing around the suit of armor, the Tiefling tossed the gold piece into the bowl. This time, the head of the skeleton came up and stared directly at Iados, a light emanating from the back of its eyeless sockets.

"You may ask five questions, and get five answers in return." The skeleton said, it's jaw unmoving. The voice was raspy, and the end of the sentences ended in a wisp as if the breath it took to say it escaped at the very end.

"Ok, we've got five questions, what do we ask?" Iados said as he turned back to the group.

"You may ask whatever you want." The skeleton answered, to the groan of everyone.

"Iados, don't talk." Jun said, and the Tiefling immediately clapped a hand over his mouth. "Alright, what do we want to ask?"

"Maybe we should ask if there's anything of value left down here, or if we can just leave." Ander asked from his position on the floor. Kerri was working on repairing on his robe.

"Instead of just value, maybe we should ask if there's anything we should grab." Lia asked. "Honen worked hard to defend this place against Jaret, maybe he had to leave something behind."

"Is there anything left treasure or value wise we should grab out of this mine?" Iados asked turning back to the skeleton.

"Letter to Himo." The skeleton said in its raspy voice. The skeleton held up one of his hands and pointed towards the wall.

"Wait, did that just say 'Himo'?" Lia's eyes went wide as her jaw dropped.

"Yeah, why?" Elaine asked.

"My uncle's name is 'Himo'," Lia closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "My uncle who suggested I take on this stupid mission in that first place."

"Looks like he didn't tell you everything." Elaine stated with a raised eyebrow, and Lia nodded.

"Should we ask it how to get to this letter? Maybe it knows a shortcut?" Ander asked as he stood up, Kerri helping him. He was still a little dizzy.

"Good idea," Jun said. Iados quickly relayed the message.

"Go to the chapel. Down the hall, make a left, go through the door, take another left, and go through the door there." The skeleton answered.

"Are there any dangers or threats between us and the letter?" Iados asked, forgetting to confer.

"There is a cube." The skeleton said.

"Wha-" Iados started to say before Jun reached around and cupped his mouth.

"We've only got one question left, let's not waste it." He said as he pulled Iados back. The skeleton's eyes followed the Tiefling.

"Does anyone know what this 'cube' might be?" Jun asked, hand still over Iados's mouth.

"Unfortunately, I think it might be referring to a Gelatinous Cube." Carric said as he dragged a hand down his face. "They like to reside in old places like this."

"What's a Gelatinous Cube?" Kerri asked.

"It's a form of ooze that's acidic in nature. It's very aggressive, and most of the time you can't see the damn thing until it's too late due to its transparent nature." Carric explained. "Most of the advice surrounding the cubes are to just run."

"But they can be defeated?" Jun asked, and Carric nodded.

"It's not easy, but it can be done." The Ranger said.

"I think we should use our last question to ask about Jaret." Elaine said. "If he's going around with magic that can create undead, he needs to be put down."

"He escaped a hundred years ago, we don't even know if he's still alive." Ander said.

"There's at least a chance he is, we don't know what race he is. He could even be an old man. The point is, we need at least a passing notion so I can send word to my superiors." Elaine argued.

"I agree," Lia said. "If my Uncle did send me here because of this book, then part of my assignment would be finding out where Jaret is." Jun shrugged and let Iados go.

"Where can we find Jaret and the evil book now?" Iados asked. The skeleton didn't answer for almost a minute, it just sat there quietly as the lights dimmed. Finally they grew bright again and it spoke.

"Crystaliron," It said. As soon as the word passed its lips, the skeleton crumpled into dust, and the suits of armor rapidly rusted and disintegrated as the magic left them. The group was driven out of the room by the sudden dust cloud, finally stopping at the fountain.

"Hey Kerri, Elaine, didn't you say you were from Crystaliron?" Ander asked as he brushed dust out of his hair.

"Technically I'm not from there, but yeah." Elaine answered. "Kerri was born there." She pointed a thumb at Kerri, who had gone silent.

The Half-Elf bard was leaned over the side of the fountain, staring quietly into its depths.

"Have you guys heard anything about this guy?" Iados asked, his attention focused on Kerri. For the first time since he'd met her in at the inn, she was truly quiet and still.

"I haven't, but maybe Kerri has…" Elaine trailed off as she watched her friend. Reaching out, Elaine touched Kerri shoulder. She jerked back, away from Elaine.

"Don't touch me," Kerri said softly, her head still down.

"What's wrong?" Elaine asked, taking a step forward. Kerri took a step back.

"Nothing, I just need a little air." Kerri took off back up the main entrance. Elaine moved to follow, but Jun held her back.

"Give her some space, she obviously doesn't want to talk." Jun said, and Elaine reluctantly moved back. "Come on, let's scout this last corridor while she takes some time."

Taking a _Light_ stick, Jun, Elaine, Carric, and Iados headed down the corridor. Lia sat down on the fountain edge and scanned the journal for any last minute clues. Ander held the _Light_ for her, but he quickly headed off after Kerri. Lia didn't stop him.

Ander found Kerri about fifteen feet up, curled up against a rock.

"You've met him, haven't you?" Ander asked as he stood in front of Kerri. She didn't respond. "Is it a secret from Elaine?" This time Kerri nodded. "Why?"

"Because I don't have a choice." Kerri said, her voice muffled.

"I don't understand." Ander said. Kerri lifted her head and met Ander's eyes. Her eyes were slightly red, and she had tear tracks leading down her face.

"Can I trust you?" She said softly. Ander nodded slowly. "You can't tell anyone, especially not Elaine."

Ander nodded again. Kerri reached up and slowly took off her armor, and then her shirt. Turning her back to Ander, he gasped.

Half-hidden by the bandages that held her cleavage, was a runic seal on her left shoulder blade. Reaching out, he spoke the words and his hand glowed faintly as he inspected the rune. He spent almost a minute just focusing on the intricacies of the rune.

"I've never seen anything like this before." He said finally as his brought his hand down. "It seems to be a combination of several different runes, but it's a configuration I've never seen. Did Jaret give it to you?" Kerri didn't answer as she pulled her shirt back up. Ander smacked his forehead. "One of the properties must be that you can't speak of him."

"Is the story you and Elaine told us true? That you left because of the Prince? Is he related to the runic mark?" Ander asked, handing her her armor.

"Partly, Elaine doesn't know the whole story." Kerri answered. "The affair with the Prince is a big part of the story, but not all of it. I was exiled for more than a couple of reasons. All I can say, is that I saw things I shouldn't have."

"If that's the case, why didn't they just kill you?" Ander asked. Kerri smiled weakly.

"Because the Prince was in love with me, and if I died he'd investigate. It was easier to send me away." Kerri said. "That's really all I can say, if I try to say too much, the rune stops me and causes me pain."

"I'm sorry," Ander said as Kerri climbed to her feet.

"Don't be, not your fault. Besides, it's a constant reminder of what I have to do." She said, as they headed back down the passage.

"You're not really out here to find stories are you?" Ander asked, and Kerri shook her head.

"I'm here to find weapons."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Dun Dun Dun! Till next time gang!


	13. The Cube

**D &D Adventure**

**Pt. 13 - The Cube**

Ander and Kerri rejoined the group just as the foursome arrived back from their scouting expedition.

"How's it look down there?" Lia tucked the book away in her bag and stood up.

"There's a door at the end that was barred from the outside." Iados said. "Jun lifted it off like it was nothing. We didn't open it, but I did try to peep in through a crack in the bottom of the door. Way too dark to see anything though."

"Well, what are we waiting for? We know the Cube is in there, let's finish this." Kerri clapped her hands excitedly and moved forward a couple of feet down the hall. Elaine cast a worrying eye over her friend as she walked past. She made a mental note of her slightly puffy eyes and fresh tear tracks.

"Are you ok?" Elaine asked as she jogged to catch up. Kerri nodded.

"I'm fine, I was just overwhelmed for a minute with all that dust." Kerri said with a smile as she literally waved off her friend's comment. Elaine wasn't reassured.

"I'm with Kerri, let's finish this and get out of this place, it's really depressing." Carric marched over and stood next to his fellow Half-elf. "I assume that Jun and Iados will of course volunteer to go through the door first."

"How come we have to go through first?" Iados asked as the group began moving forward, Jun taking the lead.

"I'm much better long-range." Carric trailed the group from behind, bow out and ready.

"You were pretty good with those swords of yours back with the Kenku." Jun called out over his shoulder.

"I don't remember that." Iados's face twisted in confusion.

"You were unconscious, again." Carric said, making sure to emphasize 'again'. Iados glared.

"That was kind of funny thinking back on it." Lia tapped her chin. "I come up the road, dragging an unconscious Ander, I look up to see what the noise is coming from the building, and there's you in a heap on the ground. I distinctly remember cursing."

"I've gotten better at dodging." The Tiefling growled as Lia came up and patted him on the back.

"We know, it's all thanks to the slow dancing you do." Lia reassured him.

"It's not dancing," He said dejectedly as they reached the door. "I'll explain later, let's just kill this thing."

Jun did a final check that everyone was ready, and Elaine made sure that everyone's _Light_ sticks were good to go. With a yell, Jun kicked the door open and strode in, his eyes scanning all around looking for a large transparent Cube.

As everyone crowded in behind him, they all took a moment to take in the room. It was a large room, probably forty by forty. The corner opposite the door held the remains of several collapsed and melted wooden bookcases. The remains of a desk or table stood a few feet away. The floor itself was absolutely spotless save for a few divits from presumably acid puddles. In the far corner, were the remains of a circle with runes etched into the stone. Several of the runes were cracked and parts of the circle just gone. On the far wall to their left, stood a door.

Elaine was the first to see it. As she'd scanned the room, the _Light_ hit the area around the circle…differently. It seemed to be refracted in a way. Either way, it wasn't natural. Elaine hissed to her party members and pointed in that direction.

Lia made the first move against it. Bringing her hands up, she recited an incantation under her breath as she cast the spell. A loud cracking sound filled the air, as weeds and vines sprang up out of the stone in the area Elaine had indicated. In a matter of seconds, a twenty foot of square of vegetation had captured the cube. As the vines twisted through its body, everyone could see as the acid corroded them. Already the smell of burning vine filled the air as the cube ate through its prison.

"Hurry and get through the door, I don't know how long this'll hold him!" Lia yelled as she moved farther into the room. Kerri, Elaine, Ander, and Carric all rushed past the vine patch. Carric was the closest to it, and with unnatural speed, a sliver of the cube shot out with a squelch and slapped Carric like a whip as he ran past. Carric hissed in pain as the acidic slap cut into his shoulder. Once they reached the door, they were relieved to find that it was unlocked.

Stumbling in, they found an area that could be called a chapel. About four or so pews were set up facing a table that was decorated as an altar with a black tablecloth reaching down to the ground. Candles were set up around the edges, with a metal outline of Vecna's symbol sitting on top.

"Start looking for that letter." Carric said as he took up a position at the door with his bow. Ander and Elaine looked around the pews, while Kerri took the altar. As she moved the tablecloth aside, she screamed. Carric rounded on her, bow drawn.

"It's ok," Elaine assured the archer as she raced over. "It's only a body." As she'd lifted the tablecloth, Kerri had come face to face with a skeleton dressed in a black robe, curled around a wooden box.

"I'm so sorry," Elaine whispered as she pulled off the skeleton's fingers in order to reach the box.

Back in the room, the cube was slowly but surely inching its way out of the vines. While Lia moved to a position behind it, Jun had pulled out his javelins and was chucking them at the cube. Iados, in an effort to cover Lia while she moved, had taken to grabbing pieces of strewn wood and chucking them into the mass as well. Each item thrown in was just absorbed into the Cube with a disgusting sucking sound. They could see the pockets of acid move around within it, moving to eat whatever the latest catch was.

"At the very least, we'll be able to see him with all this debris in him." Iados said as he threw a whole shelf at the creature.

"Until he dissolves it anyway." Jun threw another javelin. He could tell that they were drawing its attention as it inched slowly in their direction.

Seeing that the cube was about to escape the vines, Lia tried to lasso it back with _Thorn Whip_. The first one grabbed onto the cube, but before it could be pulled back, an acidic pocket had already moved and eaten through the vine as it cut into the creature. On the second try she succeeded in pulling it back before the vine broke.

"What's taking so long?" Jun called to Carric, who was taking pot shots at the creature. Little by little they could tell that the cube was taking damage as it seemed to shrink, but not enough.

"They're being bested by a box." Carric called back as he looked over his shoulder. All three of them were trying to break open the box. After Ander accidentally hit Elaine's finger instead of the lock, Carric gave an exasperated sigh and ran over.

"We are supposed to be quick." Carric took the dagger from Ander and broke the lock with one hit of the hilt. Inside was a folded piece of parchment and four gems. Ander quickly grabbed the gems and stuffed them in a pouch, while Carric pocketed the parchment.

"Hurry up!" Iados yelled, his head sticking just inside the doorway. As quickly as he was there, he was gone. Kerri headed to the door and got there just in time to see the cube reach out and grab onto Iados's leg as he ran by. With a cry of pain, he tumbled to the ground, the arm burning into his flesh. Jun ran forward and wrenched Iados out of its grasp. Lia stood near the door they'd entered from.

"Is there another way out of the room?" Lia yelled at Kerri. The cube was at the edge of her vines, and obviously its reach made the path to Jun and Iados dangerous.

"I don't know!" Kerri yelled back, panic beginning to creep into her voice. Turning her back, she quickly scanned the room, only to find that everyone else was already working on it. Against the fall wall was a familiar metal door, and this side had handholds. As she turned back to Lia, Kerri felt a stinging pain around her ankle.

"Shit!" Kerri said as her ankle was pulled out from under her as the cube pulled her towards it. There was a grunt above her, and suddenly a hand was pulling Kerri's entire arm back and for a moment she was the rope in a game of tug of war. With a disgusting squelching sound the cube lost its grip on Kerri's ankle. Carric wasted no time in pulling Kerri back into the room.

"The metal door opened into this room!" Carric yelled out at the others as he watched Jun jam his last javelin into the creature. "We'll meet you at the fountain!" Carric slammed the door to the chapel shut. Elaine and Kerri were already ready with a pew that they shoved in front of the wooden door.

It took all four of them to pull up on the metal door, and quite frankly it was a miracle that they were able to jam another pew under it long enough for them to escape. As the four of them went running down the hall they heard the crunch as the pew gave up.

In a full-out run, it wasn't long before Ander and his short legs started to fall behind. Carric paused and scooped the Halfling up on to his shoulders as he chased after the girls. As they ran up the illusioned hallway, all of them were too focused on running and getting back to their party members to be trapped by the illusion. Ander however was caught, and as Carric forcibly pulled him through, a stabbing pain went through his head that caused him to see stars and feel disoriented. As they flung open the door, Kerri led the way through the shortcut hallway they'd taken nary an hour ago. When they emerged into the main hallway, they saw Jun and Iados anxiously waiting for them while Lia stood on the lip of the fountain and hurled puffs of gas at the cube to no obvious effect.

"Hurry!" Iados yelled as he and Jun started up towards the entrance. Carric passed off the Halfling to Iados once they were in range, and he pulled out his bow once again. With Carric bringing up the rear, they all ran up the slippery passage. Thankfully it seemed to be easier going up than it was down, for some. Halfway up Kerri's foot that'd been grabbed by the Cube gave up and she fell down. Immediately she started sliding back down towards the cube that was only a few feet behind them.

With instinct kicking in, Jun reached out as Kerri slid past him and grabbed her arm. Her shoulder jostled painfully as her descent was abruptly ended, but she was too grateful to complain. With Jun's help she scrambled up and they burst out in the fading sunlight with everyone else. Elaine and Carric stood at the mine entrance and fired a few more shots each into the creature.

The creature swelled up, and burst like a balloon. With it's ooze and acid mixing with the loose gravel and mud, it began to slide down into the mine. The smell of melting stone wafted up out of the passage as those with darkvision saw pools of acid begin to form all the way down.

"Quick question," Iados said as he stood watching the slow descent of the acid into the chamber below. "While you guys were furiously running for your lives, did you stop and grab the chest of money?" Silence descended upon the group for a full minute before Kerri burst out laughing, followed by Elaine.

"I think that's a no." Jun said as he settled himself down on the ground, not caring about the lingering mud. His breath came in ragged breaths and his heartrate was up. He felt like he was coming down off a _Rage_ , but more in control. He liked that feeling.

"Is there a way we can get back in to retrieve the chest?" Lia collapsed on the ground leaning against Iados as he followed suit. Soon everyone was down in one form or another. Ander had splayed eagle.

"Maybe, anyone got some lye or ammonia?" Ander asked out loud, his eyes closed as he soaked in the sunlight.

"I've got a bar of lye soap on me." Carric said, with accompanying cries from Elaine, Kerri, and Jun. "Don't think we're gonna find any ammonia though."

"That's ok, remind me in the morning to test out the lye bars and see if that's enough to neutralize the acid in the passages." Ander said, his voice noticeably tired.

"Hey," Jun said as he stood up. "Don't fall asleep here, let's at least make our way back to our cave." The Barbarian picked up the Halfling, and led the party back to the cave they'd used previously.

Jun and Iados volunteered to go find some firewood and they feasted on Owlbear meat that night. Afterwards, they all settled in for an early night after a busy day.

"So, what do you think of Ander's idea?" Jun asked Carric as they sat around the campfire. Everyone else had already turned in even though the sun had just set.

"You mean of joining up as an adventuring party?" Carric broke off some sticks and flung them into the fire. Jun nodded.

"Do you think it's a good idea?"

"It's a better idea then him just going off by himself." Carric gave a small chuckle. "What can I say, I mean, we've all heard the stories of parties going off and finding treasure. Treasure to set them up for the rest of the lives, treasure that made them nobles and knights. Performing daring deeds that made those groups legends."

"What about all the stories of those who die adventuring?" Jun countered. "Ander said so himself, there are those who don't adventure because of how many didn't come back."

"This could be a real chance to change your life. A chance to find treasure like what's stuck down in the mine right now. With enough money you don't have to answer to the world, the world has to answer to you. I don't see the problem with adventuring for a while at least. Also, in a party this size, we stand a good shot."

Jun sighed and hung his head, but he had a grin on his face. "You do make a good point about our party. There are some I worry about, but they all held their own, including you."

"I'm probably the person you have to worry about the least." Carric leaned back and stared up at the cave ceiling. "Let's make a deal, if we go through with this, I'll keep an eye on Elaine and Kerri, and you keep Ander out of trouble."

"What about Lia and Iados?"

"Let's see if they can keep each other out of trouble first."

"Ok, and what if you get into trouble?"

"Then I fully expect you to rally the troops and come get my ass."

"And if I get in trouble?"

"Then I will rally the troops and run the hell away because I don't want to meet anything that can take you down."

Jun howled with laughter, before he quickly stifled it and cast a nervous gaze out at those sleeping. "It's a deal," The two of them shook hands. The rest of the night passed uneventfully.

The next morning, Carric ventured out into the Settlement in search of arrows and more salt. While he was gone, everyone else accompanied Ander back to the mine. They ground down the lye soap bars into a powder and set off. Elaine lit three _Light_ sticks and handed them out. Elaine wasn't wearing her armor. She'd been convinced by Iados that she might not want to be weighed down as they went down a tunnel of acid puddles, just in case.

There'd been a late-night sprinkling, and that'd been enough to wash some of the larger acid puddles further down the tunnel.

Instead of walking in the mud, almost everyone decided to walk on the exposed stone as much as possible. The stones were pockmarked from the acid, but they were the clearest acid-free trail they could see.

Ander tested the lye powder on some of the small acid puddles they came across, their surfaces hardening. He saved the majority of the powder though for the main course. By the time they came across the broken fountain they'd found the large puddles of leftover ooze mass and acid. Some of the larger mass chucks still held the acidic pockets, but the whole area had a rancid smell. The ooze was decomposing fast.

Taking a small amount of the lye powder, Ander sprinkled it over the nearest acid puddle. The mixture immediately began to bubble and fizz with loud pops. After about a minute, the surface of the puddle began to hard until it was a solid block.

"I think this'll work." Ander said. "We'll have to go slow, but we should be able to carve a path to the chest." It took the better part of the next two hours to navigate as straight a shot to the guardroom as possible.

They quickly found that the ooze was a very good vessel for carrying the acid far and wide. The ooze spread out thin over the floor, flooding cracks in the walls and floor. As the ooze flooded, it brought the acid. In a couple of places, the group could see large cracks in the walls as the integrity of the walls was comprised and the weight of the earthen ceiling and the mountain above bared down.

One of the more prominent places of this damage was the shortcut passage.

"Do we want to risk it?" Ander asked as he eyed the large crack that traveled the height of the wall.

"Not if we don't have to." Jun moved the group down the main hall and through the door that still sat opened. Just inside the door was one of the largest puddles of ooze, since it'd been funneled into one place. Ander used the powder, but he couldn't be sure how much of it was acid and how much of it was ooze.

"We don't all have to go in." Kerri said as she surveyed the room. "I'm pretty sure I can jump that easily enough."

"Me too," Iados handed his weapon to Lia and started to stretch. They'd all left the majority of their gear back at the cave. No sense in risking it down here with the acid. Kerri handed her sword to Elaine.

_"We're so close now,_

_Just a jump and a skip,_

_To the treasure we found,_

_In this acidic pit."_ Kerri sang as she stretched.

"Not one of your better ones, but I guess it'll work." Elaine shrugged as she judged the attempt at _Inspiration_.

"Let's see you do better." Kerri challenged.

"And dare to do better than one who's been trained her whole life to perform feats of song and dance, I wouldn't dare." Elaine smiled sweetly. "But in all seriousness, be careful."

Kerri nodded and turned to Iados. "You or me first?"

"Why don't you let me, that way I can save your butt if you trip." Iados cocked a wicked grin. Backing up as far as he could, he took a running start. With a perfect long jump the Tiefling cleared the puddle and stuck the landing on the other side. "Your turn." Iados said as he turned around, his grin even wider.

"Here goes nothing." Kerri backed up and ran forward, attempting a long jump same as Iados. Her jump was actually smoother than Iados's, not that anyone but Iados noticed. She cleared the puddle no problem and stuck the landing.

"That was fun." Kerri told Iados, a huge grin on her face.

"What till you try that on a ship mast during a storm. Then it's really fun." Iados gave a laugh. Turning back to the group at the door. "You guys want to toss us a light?" Jun threw one of the sticks at the Tiefling, and Iados caught it easily. "See you in a minute."

The two of them headed off towards the chest.

"See, now if that was Lia, I'd be worried about growing bored." Ander commented as they watched the duo disappear around the corner. Lia rolled her eyes.

"Have any of you thought more about my offer?" The Wizard asked, settling himself down on an untouched piece of stone. Ander was small enough to find a place big enough, the others were forced to stand.

"Carric and I talked about it last night, and we're both of the mind to agree." Jun kept his eyes on the area around them.

"I have no problem with it, really my only other career choice right now is working in a Temple and I don't want to." Elaine shrugged. "I can guess what Kerri's answer is."

"She already gave me her answer." Ander said. "Lia?"

"Why not? It's not like I have a life waiting for me back home." Lia sighed and leaned against a wall. A bit of dust filtered down from above and landed on her. "I hope they're quick, this place doesn't seem like it'll last much longer."

"Which is weird, because dwarves are usually very good builders, especially underground." Ander gave a little cough from the dust.

"One could argue that they weren't exactly motivated to do their best in renovating this place." Elaine eyed the ceiling warily. "What was that?" Elaine started looking around.

"What was what?" Lia asked.

"I thought I heard something, it sounded like water." Elaine started to get worried. "How close to the mine was that underground river?"

"Close enough to be diverted. Stay here." Jun left the group and headed back down the hallway, scanning the ceiling. He disappeared around the corner as he went down the shortcut.

"Hey guys, you mind hurrying up?" Ander called down towards Iados and Kerri. Jun reappeared from the shortcut.

"It's not coming from there," He continued down towards the fountain.

"You guys ready to catch?" A voice said from the doorway. Looking back, Iados and Kerri stood on the other side, each of them carrying the chest.

"Not quite, Elaine thinks she heard water and Jun went to go check it out." Lia explained. "How heavy is it?"

"Heavy enough, move out of the way." Iados and Kerri began swinging the chest. "When I say 'Go', move out of the way." Iados began to count.

"1, 2, 3, go!" The two of them hurled the chest over the puddle, but the angle was bad. The chest hit the side of the doorframe and just shattered. Money pieces flew everywhere, hitting everyone and everything.

"What the hell?" Jun roared, having arrived back just in time watch the chest shatter.

"Sorry, my bad." Iados sheepishly raised his finger. Jun just took a deep breath.

"Lia, you and Elaine go get some bags to put the money into, I highly doubt all of it is going to fit in our pockets. The rest of us will start picking it all up."

"Got it!" Lia and Elaine ran off to follow Jun's instructions. Elaine stopped for a second.

"Oh, did you find anything?"

"There's some water bubbling up from the fountain. Everything looked stable enough though." Jun explained, and Elaine nodded and ran off.

It took the girls about ten or so minutes to come back with an emptied pack and a blanket.

"Best we could do, sorry." Lia handed the blanket to Jun, and then tossed the pack to Iados. The throw was a little short, but Iados was able to reach out enough to just save it from the puddle.

"How bad's the loss?" Elaine looked at the large stacks of coins that Ander was accumulating.

"Not as bad as it could have been. As long as the coins didn't fall in the acid pools, they seem to be alright. The ooze doesn't seem to be detrimental." Ander gingerly picked up a gold piece and added it to the pile.

"Did you see Carric?" Jun asked as he finished messing with the blanket. Using some creative folds and knots, he was able to make quite a large bag out of the blanket.

"Yeah, he was getting the last of the Owlbear meat and hide ready for transport." Lia explained as she started scooping Ander's piles into the new bag. "We explained what had happened and he just laughed."

"We would have brought his blanket as well but he was already using it to tie the Owlbear hide up in." Elaine winced as she accidentally touched acid instead of ooze.

"Oh yeah, Iados, are you in or out with the adventuring party?" Ander called out.

"In!" Iados yelled back.

"Alright, let's finish this up so we can be done with this stupid mine." Ander had a renewed vigor as he fished out coins.

An hour later they'd managed to save as many coins as possible. Ander estimated that they'd lost roughly a fourth of their haul, but overall it could have been worse. By this point though, dust and dirt had started to fall with alarming regularity from the ceiling, and looks up showed that a fissure had formed, originating from the shortcut hall and spreading fast.

Iados easily lobbed the full pack over to Jun, and then backed up for a long jump. This time he didn't have a good start and landed in the puddle. As soon as his left foot hit the ground, he yelled in pain and jumped away as fast as he could.

"Iados!" Elaine and Lia crouched down next to him. His boot had the whole bottom missing as the acid had eaten away and gotten to his flesh. Elaine took what was left of the lye and sprinkled some of it on Iados's foot.

"We need to get him out of here before I can do anything more. I don't want to waste a healing spell until I get a better look at it." Elaine explained as she and Lia helped Iados stand on one foot.

"Well, your turn Kerri." Jun turned back to the Half-Elf still waiting on the other side of the puddle, whose face had gone white. "You'll be fine, just jump like you did before and you'll make it."

Kerri gave a big gulp and nodded. She took quite a few steps back, and then ran. Gracefully she cleared the puddle and stuck the landing.

"See, nothing to it." Jun patted her on the shoulder before going over and slinging Iados over his shoulder.

The group headed off, and as they made their way carefully around the fountain, it was impossible to miss the new cracks that had developed both on the ceiling and the remains of the fountain. Water gurgled out of the cracks in the fountain, spilling onto the floor and mixing the remaining ooze and acid. Even moving fast, it was impossible to avoid the acid now.

Everyone's boots took the brunt of the acidic sludge but thankfully didn't penetrate. They all knew they'd have to replace their boots as soon as possible.

Heading back up the passage, the extra moisture in the tunnel had caused the mud, dirt, and rocks to shift. Ander, Elaine, and Kerri all managed to stumble, Elaine and Ander avoided any of the acid, but Kerri wasn't so lucky. Her right knee landed in a small puddle and she screamed.

Falling over, she landed in another puddle of acid. Her face hit the ground and her ear landed in the new puddle. Kerri screamed, and went unconscious, the side of her face beginning to smoke..

Lia was the first to act, rushing over and pulling her out of the acid. As soon as Elaine was within armshot, she pumped her highest heal spell into her friend. Lia and Elaine saw the faint glimmer of the magic as it wrapped itself around her burned knee and around her right ear. Kerri came to groggy consciousness. The two females helped her out of the tunnel.

The six of them were a messy sight when they finally got back to their camp. Carric had Owlbear cooking on skewers around the fire, as he salted what was left of the meat and divided it out. He managed to wrangle a few days rations out for everyone from what was still good of the meat. The low temps from the weather had helped keep the meat, but fresh meat does eventually go bad.

"What happened?" Carric cried as he stood up and helped Kerri. Elaine and Lia set about laying out Iados' and Kerri's bed rolls and the two patients were deposited on them.

"Acid," Ander grunted, as he struggled to carry the large blanket of coins.

Elaine dug out her 'Herbalism Kit', and then Ander's 'Healer's Kit' when he told her about it. Over the course of the next hour, between the two kits Elaine was able to create a salve that she slathered onto the acidic injuries. Iados's foot retained a small scar, but no lasting damage. It was the same with Kerri's knee.

As long as Kerri used the salve every day for a while, the burns on her ear and face around the ear would heal evenly and not scar. The actual ear though was a different story. As Elaine applied the salve to the top of it, the top half of Kerri's slightly pointed ear tore off. There was very little blood, and virtually no pain. Using a small knife Elaine was able to make the tear smooth so it would heal clean and straight.

"How's your hearing?" Elaine asked as she bandaged the top of the ear.

"I don't hear anything differently, so it seems I'm lucky that it was just the outside of the ear that was hurt." Kerri said softly, her eyes closed.

"I think we should stay for another day before we head out, to give you two time to heal fully before heading back to Rocklyn." Lia said from her place next to Iados. He was leaned up against a wall, his foot elevated on a bedroll.

"No complaints from me, I'd rather start my new life as an adventurer on the right foot." Iados said with a grin at his own pun. There were a few groans in response.

"Actually, about the adventuring party," Jun started.

"Don't tell me you're chickening out!" Ander said as he stood up. "We need you, you're the muscle!"

"Thanks, but I was just going to say that I need a bit of time before I start up. There's a place I've been meaning to go and I think now's a good time before we start this."

"Where are you headed?" Carric asked from his bedroll. He had his knife out and was trying to whittle some arrow shafts. His search of the Settlement had turned up a few arrowheads.

"The Silver Rise Mountains outside Dayur. There's some people I need to meet up there." Jun admitted.

"Then I'll go with you," Ander said as he sat back down and pulled the Driftglobe back into his lap. He'd been taking the opportunity while Elaine worked to try to find the last of the command words. "I've actually got some business in Dayur, and to be perfectly honest we need to get certified before we just run off and adventure."

"How about this, since there's actually someone I want to talk to as well, let's take some time and get some stuff in order. How long is it gonna take for certification to come through?" Carric asked.

"Anywhere from a week to several months." Ander answered with a shrug.

"Ok, how about we meet up in three months then?" No one had any objections to Carric's suggestion.

"We can meet up in Esterwill at the monastery." Iados offered. "They're used to having people crash there, so if we have to wait a bit longer for approval we can just stay there."

"Sounds as good an idea as any." Said Lia. She'd pulled out the journal and was reading through it more in-depth.

"Alright then, we've got a plan. We'll head out tomorrow, go our separate ways, and meet up in Esterwill in three months' time." Carric smiled, happy in the plan.

"So Ander," Iados looked over at the Halfling as the Driftglobe started to rise and hover above him. "What kind of info will be the Circle be needing anyway? Does a past in piracy disqualify you? If so, you can just tell them that I worked on an independent trading vessel."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, there it is, the end of the first adventure. At this point everyone is now level three. Because a lot of the classes have the first real class features come up, the characters will be taking some downtime to explore that. First up we'll have Jun's downtime as he heads into the Silver Rise Mountains with Ander! Stay tuned, and don't forget to review!


	14. Jun's Journey

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 14 – Jun's Journey**

"Why is it so cold?" Ander whined as he stuffed his hands deeper into his armpits. Little puffs of steam came out of his mouth with his every breath.

"It's already winter in the mountains." Jun drawled. Ander had been complaining about the cold ever since they'd left the Half-Dwarven city of Dayur the day before. After leaving the rest of their future party and promising to meet up in Esterwill in three months' time, the Barbarian and Wizard had set out. They more or less followed the same route they'd used to reach Rocklyn the first time, joining up with the first caravan they came across. They spent a few days in Dayur gearing up for their rocky climb, and then headed out.

"How can it be winter, when fall just got here?" The Halfling's voice was muffled by the large scarf he was wearing. In fact, Jun could barely see his companion underneath all the layers he wore. In addition to the dark blue scarf, Ander was wearing a dark blue cloak, thick woolen mittens, a wool hat, and heavy boots. All on loan from the Dayur chapter of the Circle, of course.

"You've never spent much time in the mountains, have you?" Jun chuckled as the Halfling finally caught up. It was slow moving through the mountains. Snow dusted the rocky ground around them, while roots broke through the surface just waiting to catch those unaware. Talking to several caravan groups in Dayur had assured them that this was the best way to meet up with a Barbarian Band.

"No, Sageburrow is more grassland and very large buildings than mountains." Ander said. "Now, tell me again why we couldn't just wait in town for a Band to stop by?"

Jun grabbed Ander's collar and hoisted him over a large puddle. This was not the first time he'd done it. In fact, Jun had to manhandle Ander over much of the mountainside. The duo had been warned that the pass might be difficult. Caravans had stopped running for the year in preparation for winter to fully descend.

"No one could be sure that a Band would stop again this year. If we want to accomplish our mission before we have to meet the others, going into the mountains and tracking down a Band is our best bet." Jun was sorely tempted to just pick Ander up and carry him on his shoulders. The wind was beginning to pick up and judging by the rock piles scattered along the trail, it would get much stronger.

"Can you explain the whole Band vs. Tribe thing to me again?" Ander stopped and took a swig out of his waterskin. "Also, what are we expecting?"

"Expecting from what?"

"The Barbarians. Are all of them going to be big and strong with a thirst for blood?" Jun stopped and gave Ander a quizzical look.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Some bard back in Dayur." Ander shrugged. "I've never met a Barbarian but you, and you're atypical."

"Thanks, I guess." Jun sighed and started walking again, Ander trailing along behind.

"Look, all I'm saying is I'd like to be a little more informed about what I'm walking into."

"I don't know that much either, that's why I'm going."

"Well, you're never going to meet them if you go that way." A feminine voice called out from above the duo. Standing on an outcropping above them was a woman. She was about middle aged, clothed in furs.

"What way would you suggest?" Jun called back. The woman gave a loud laugh before she jumped off the cropping and began running down towards them. Halfway down, a rock pile shifted under her foot and she began to fall forwards. Jun dashed over and scooped up Ander, pulling him out of the way just in time as she barreled past them and skidded to a stop.

"Are you alright?" Jun asked as the two of them approached her. Jun held out his hand.

"I'm fine," She accepted the hand and pulled herself to her feet. "Have to admit, not my most graceful of entrances." She laughed as she dusted herself off. Now that she was closer, the men could see that she was bald with elaborate tattoos crisscrossing her head in waves. A greatsword hung at her side.

"Name's Eira." The woman stuck out both hands towards Jun and Ander.

"I'm Jun, and this is my friend Ander." Jun smiled, while Ander awkwardly shook with his left hand. "You never did answer my question."

"Ah yes, well, if you want to meet the Tribe, you're going the wrong way. All the Bands have been summoned to the Temple." Eira explained with a grin. She took a step back and began looking Jun over. "You one of us?"

"According to my mother, but she's not the most reliable source ever since she abandoned me." Jun watched the woman as she began to circle. "Said my father was a Barbarian, and I was the same."

"You can use the _Rage_?" Her eyes squinted as she waited for his response.

"Yes." Jun rested a hand on his warhammer.

"He's a fierce warrior." Ander said loudly, catching Eira's attention. "He's saved my life and our comrades. He's faced down the undead, Owlbears, and a Cube."

"What's harmful about a cube?" Eira's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by 'undead'? The dead are dead, that's all."

"First of all, it was a giant acidic Gelatinous Cube that chased us down a hallway and tried to eat us. Second of all, the dead don't always stay dead. We faced down moving skeletons armed with swords; and rotting corpses whose fists felt like they were made of lead." Ander's face lit up as he recounted their exploits. Eira's brow unfurrowed as her eyes went wide in shock.

"Are you serious?" She looked at Jun for confirmation, who solemnly nodded. "Well then, that changes things. I was going to string this out a bit longer, but I've got to hear this in more detail. The rest of my Band are waiting on the other side of the hill." She pointed towards the outcropping she'd first appeared on. "We'll take you to the Temple."

The journey to the Temple took the rest of the day. After meeting up with Eira's band, the group kept up a quick pace as they trekked along the narrow trails. The band was made up of about twenty adults with a few kids. Everything they owned they carried on their backs and shoulders. As they walked, Eira explained that they were one of three Bands that patrolled beyond the Silver Rise Mountains.

"What's out there that's so dangerous?" Ander asked from atop Jun's shoulders. Due to the strict pacing, it was easier to carry the Halfling.

"Creatures like that Cube you talked about. In the mountains bordering the coast is the entrance to a place called The Underdark." Eira's face got serious. "Our job is track and kill anything that comes out."

"All three Bands? Isn't that overkill?"

"There's more than just the Underdark creatures." Chimed in one of the older males. "For some reason, that area has been the junk yard for experiments gone wild or creatures that just need to be moved."

"Wow, so everyone in the Band fights these creatures?"

The older Barbarian gave a small chuckle at Ander's words. "No, only the Barbarians and a few fighters go and fight."

"The term Barbarian is used differently within the Tribe than it is with outsiders." Eira explained when Ander's and Jun's face twisted in confusion. "Within the Tribe, a Barbarian is a fighter who is able to harness the mighty power and veracity of their _Rage_. Not all members of the Tribe are capable of this. To outsiders, everyone in the Tribe is a Barbarian."

"Are all Barbarians a member of the Tribe?" Jun asked as he turned to face Eira, who nodded.

"A long time ago the Bands were tribes unto themselves, and territorial disputes were common with Barbarians fighting each other for supremacy. Finally, a single Band rose victorious over all others and united our people under the Tribe of the Red Storm. Nowadays there are about twelve wandering Bands that travel the world. Some Bands are small, maybe four or five members, while others still number in the hundreds."

"Wow, so why have all the Bands been called to the Temple?"

"No idea, but we'll find out." Eira clapped Jun on the back then raced ahead and began playing with a couple of the kids.

"Is she always that cheerful?" Jun asked the other tribesman.

"Mostly, it can get annoying." The man smiled. The rest of the climb was either spent in companionable silence or Ander asking even more questions. Jun let his eyes wander the Band. He'd assumed that he'd be the odd person out in terms of features, but the Band seemed to be a melting pot of features from all over.

Just as the sun was beginning set, the Band crested a rise and got their first view of the Temple. Nestled in a small green valley, it was like a paradise. In the middle stood a two-story white marble structure. Sprawling out from the center, walls separated the surrounding land into different sections. A few of the sections were just open clearings in which a large tent city had been erected. Two fields stood untouched, with what appeared to be a seating around them. In one of the larger sections right behind the main structure, was an arena with white marble stadium seating. Flying above the structure was a black flag with the image of a clenched fist holding a lightning bolt. Both Jun and Ander recognized the symbol of the god Kord.

"Come on, it looks like we're one of the last." Eira called out to the whole group. When they made their way into the main encampment, the shadows were long and several lanterns, campfires, and torches lit the area.

"Well well, looks like I lost my silver." A girl on the cusp of adulthood called out as she made her way quickly towards Eira. The two of them embraced quickly.

"Signe, look how you've grown!" Eira exclaimed. "Last time I saw you, you were nothing more than a child. How's your Band?"

"A bit smaller," Signe admitted as she led Eira and the Band towards a clearing. "My father stepped down as Leader, and my husband succeeded him. As always there were those who didn't agree and they left."

"Have you heard why the Bands have been called?" Eira settled down on a log. Most of the small Band went about setting up camp, with members of other Bands coming over to help, offer food, and just catch up. Jun went to caution Ander against running off, only to find that he was too late.

"Neolemus, the Champion of Kord died." Eira gasped, along with the other members of the Band. Those from other Bands who'd already heard, nodded their heads solemnly. "Rumor is that everyone's been gathered to choose a new Champion."

"How did he die?" One of the children asked.

"During one of his battles, he was exposed to a poison that he couldn't beat." Signe explained calmly to the child. "Even the mightiest warriors can fall when they are attacked from within."

"I'm sorry, but I'm a little lost." Jun scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I thought Kord was for athletes, not Barbarians."

"It's alright to be confused." A tall man with a graying beard wearing robes of red and white came out of the crowd.

"Father, you remember Eira?" Signe asked as she and Eira stood up.

"I'm afraid I don't, I'm sorry." The man said as he shook Eira's hand.

"My father was Baraka and my mother Helga. They died about six years ago when we ambushed by Purple Worms."

"I remember now," The man nodded. "They died a valiant death."

"That they did." Eira smiled sadly. "I didn't realize that you were a Cleric of Kord Alaric."

"A recent calling," Alaric brushed a hand against his robes. "After I stepped down in my Band, I was asked to join. In light of Neolemus' death it rather felt like I couldn't refuse. Now, who are you?" The new Cleric turned to Jun with an outstretched hand.

"Jun, Eira found my companion and I on the trail."

"Who's your companion?" Alaric smiled and began scanning the faces around them.

"His name is Ander, he's a Halfling out of Sageburrow. At the moment, I have no idea where he scampered of to." Jun admitted as he too started looking around.

"Jun is a Barbarian," Eira interjected as she placed hand on Jun's shoulder. "However, he's not part of the Tribe."

"That's becoming all too common." Alaric sighed. "Since the Civil War of Marblebrooke, some of the Tribe's members have been a little too ambitious to, shall we say, sow their seeds. It's been mandated for all Bands to keep much of that in check, but there are some that manage to sneak away."

"I didn't realize it was such a big deal." Jun's brow furrowed in concern.

"Only if the children possess the ability to harness their _Rage_ , such as yourself. Where did you first access it?"

"On the battlefield while in the military. To be honest though, I felt the stirrings of it much sooner."

Alaric nodded. "Children with Barbarian potential are identified and trained early. Left unchecked, one can become consumed with their _Rage_ and be at fault for great violence. In that state, not even a loved one is safe from their fury."

"It's said that the first Barbarians were fathered by Kord himself." Signe said. "When the Bands were united, emphasis was placed on how we're all connected by the blood of Kord."

"So that's why all of this exists?" Jun gestured at the tent city around them.

"Have you ever tried to convince several Bands used to living a nomadic lifestyle to sleep indoors?" Alaric smiled broadly as he shook his head. "No, it's easier to just let them set up their own tents. Leaves the clergy free to set up the competitions."

"Competitions?"

"Oh yes, as you said, Kord is known to be the God of Athletic Prowess. We revere him for also being the God of Storms and Lord of Battle. One of his basic tenets that was crucial in uniting the Bands, was using nonlethal sport to resolve disputes. At the core of Barbarian society is the idea that the strong and fit should lead those who are weaker, and bravery should be shared by all. Cowardice is something to be scorned."

"So the competitions are for settling arguments?" Jun was handed a tankard of something as he and Alaric settled themselves on the log. Signe and Eira had disappeared into the crowd around them.

"Sometimes." Alaric took a swig from his own tankard. "If someone's leadership is questioned than a challenge is issued. Mostly it's the young people wanting to prove their strength as they come into their abilities or age. We do prevent Barbarians from engaging in melee and other physical tournaments against non-Barbarians, that just wouldn't be fair."

"Before, you said the Barbarian society was all about the strong and fit leading. Is there a difference between Barbarian society and the Tribe?"

"Most assuredly." Alaric stood up and did a slow spin before Jun. "Look at me, a former leader of a large Band and now a member of the Clergy of Kord. Would you say I possess the abilities of a Barbarian?"

"Of course," Jun nodded as Alaric sat back down.

"I don't," He confessed. "None of the Bands are led by Barbarians. True leadership takes more than being able to crush enemies with your bare hands. True leadership needs a level head, the ability to think critically about a situation and to realize that sometimes the best decision is to leave. While a Barbarian is _Raging_ , the idea of retreating will never enter their minds. The Barbarians role in a Band is to be at the forefront of an attack. To take the hits that would kill their fellow Band members. To hold off the main threat long enough for the group to work together. A Barbarian is the first line of defense and offense. If a Barbarian is weak or a coward, then they're a failure to everything all Barbarian's stand for."

Jun took a large gulp of ale, just letting the words sink in.

"Was Neolemus a Barbarian as well?" Jun asked, and Alaric nodded. "What does it mean to be Kord's Champion?"

"Kord's champion is like Kord's troubleshooter. The Champion's role is to uphold Kord's name in the world, in word and life. Sometimes Kord might have a specific task, but more often then not it's a life of adventuring. Neolemus had answered a call for help from one of the Band's roving around the Realm of Nightmares, the Entrance to the Underdark. He sustained his fatal injury ensuring that everyone got away."

"What happens now that he's dead?" Jun asked.

"We start the search for a new champion in true Kord fashion." Alaric grinned. "All the Bands were brought together so that they might show us who has the potential of being the new Champion. Every Barbarian here will fight for the honor of being Kord's Champion, including yourself." Jun started choking on his ale.

"What?" He wheezed, his eyes wide.

"Do you really think it was merely a coincidence that you found yourself in these mountains now? That after all these years, you chose now to seek out your heritage?" Alaric stood up. "No Jun, you were guided here, and I'm looking forward to seeing how you hold up." With that Alaric raised his tankard in farewell and faded into the crowd. Eira came up behind Jun and wordlessly refilled his tankard.

"Drink, it'll help." She settled herself on the log next to Jun. They didn't speak for several minutes, just sat there and drank. In the sky above, streaks of fire and electricity began to arc across the sky to great applause.

"You and your friend can sleep in my tent tonight," She finally said as they watched the lights. "I've already circulated word that Ander's ours." Jun cracked a smile.

"Thanks, how much of that did you hear?"

"All of it," She took another swig. "Bit more than you were expecting, huh?"

"I'll say. I just wanted to find out more about what being a Barbarian means. Now I'm enrolled in a God's competition."

"Could be worse."

"How?"

"You could've not found us and still be wandering out there in the cold desperate for answers." Eira stood up and grinned. "Come on, let's go find Ander and get you two to bed. We've got an early morning tomorrow."

"I have a sneaky suspicion that we'll find Ander at the end of the _Fire Bolt_ s." Jun downed his tankard in one gulp before the two headed off to collect what ended up being a drunk Ander. Surprisingly, he'd managed to drink three Tribe members under the table before he'd started his spectacle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here's the first glimpse of The Tribe! I really hope you enjoy this, and Jun is going for a 3rd level in Barbarian! I want to give a shout-out to all of the new readers, followers, and reviewers! You guys are the best and I hope I don't disappoint.
> 
> Little bit of clarification because it did come up, the reason that Iados and Kerri didn't use the fountain to heal up after their little acidic slips, is because the magic came from the ruins at the bottom of the fountain that infused the water. When the Cube was pursuing them out of the Mine, it ran over the fountain destroying the runes and breaking the fountain into pieces. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear.
> 
> Also, each character does have their own character sheet. I play out every encounter with actual mini's, dice, and stats. Maybe one day I'll set up something to show all of you the pictures I've taken or their character sheets.


	15. Kord's Champion

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 15 - Kord's Champion  
**

The next three days were full of activity. During the day Jun trained with his fellow Barbarians. Swords, hammers, fists, arrows; they fought with it all. Jun had met other Barbarians before, but they were in passing while traveling in busy towns or cities. This was a new experience. The fields were lined with the Band members, each one cheering on their Barbarians. Some Bands had only one, while others had ten or more. The two fields were for Barbarian use only, while the Arena was given to the others.

Initially, Jun had wanted to stick close to Eira, to take his cues from her. However, once the fighting had started that plan went out the became very apparent early on that the half-walls surrounding the fields weren't to keep bystanders out, but to keep fighters in. Of course, the rounded edges with pikes pointing inward was his first clue.

For the first time Jun saw the destructive power of a horde fueled by _Rage._ Where in the military he'd learned tactic and strategy, Barbarians relied on their strength. While in a _Rage_ they allowed themselves to be driven by their base instincts. Red-robed clerics ran around ensuring that practice dummies and wooden targets were plenty.

From the sidelines, Ander was reminded of his parents trying to corral and entertain a bunch of six-year-olds when relatives came to visit. If there weren't enough toys for everyone, the children had started fighting amongst themselves to get them. For the most part the clerics were quick enough with the targets, but there were some squabbles.

When they weren't under the influence, Jun received instruction in how to maximize his _Rage_ from the others. This was usually shown in notes on his techniques or footwork, though everyone seemed to have their own style. No one seemed to care that Jun wasn't born in the Tribe, he was there now and that's all that mattered. Many of them seemed curious in how Jun had managed not to _Rage-_ Out, as they called it.

"Lots of self-control, and a lot of broken trees." Some of them would laugh and leave it at that, while others pushed for even more detail. It seemed that being able to control the _Rage,_ instead of the other way around, was a hot topic.

In the Arena, challenges from within the Bands were carried out. Non-Barbarian fighters duking it out to settle disagreements and leadership roles. Even to Ander's untrained eyes, and most certainly Jun's, these fights were fought with strategy and technique more so than pure power. Whereas Barbarians tended to use weapons that would inflict the most damage immediately, most of the fighters in the Arena leaned towards weapons they were skilled in and could maneuver to their advantage.

Ander skirted the sidelines of the fighting for a while, but grown men and women beating each other could only hold his attention for so long. Most of his time during the day was spent inside the main structure: The Temple. The second floor housed a large library which held a surprising amount of lore. Most of the stories he'd heard before _(Thaplit and the Curious Gargoyle_ was one of his favorites) _,_ but it was always good to get a new perspective especially if Bards were involved. He spent almost an entire day copying down notes on monsters from a few stories. That kind of research seemed prudent for their new Party.

It was during these visits that Ander had been introduced to Dirann and Moryn. Dirann was an Elven woman and the last member of the Band that united the Bands under the Tribe of the Red Storm. She served as Kord's High Priestess. Moryn is the aging scribe of the Tribe. They'd stumbled across him in the library and had both recommended some reading material. It wasn't often they got to share their knowledge with those outside the Tribe.

Nighttime with the Tribe was a different experience. After an intense day of training, Jun and the others were sent to go soak in the hot springs. Taking up an entire wing of the Temple, the baths were chiseled out of the same marble, with incense lightly scenting the air.

The entire wing was lit by small glow lamps that were descended from the vaulted ceiling. The walls were decorated in beautiful mosaics depicting great battles of Kord. Clerics rushed around administering healing spells to those who needed it, while a small group sat on a small balcony above and played soft melodic string music to lull the Barbarians.

While the Barbarians soaked, the evening meal was assembled. While some Bands preferred to eat their meals in solidarity, the majority of the Bands took full advantage of the company. Strewn throughout the camps, 12 bonfires were set up. Each Band had control of one, and it was around these that stories were told. Tales of adventure and battles were recited, as well as cautionary tales of great defeat or lost. This was a time for the Bands to come together and share information, and one could travel and sit at any fire they wished.

At night, Ander wandered. Being the only Halfing it was easy for everyone to recognize him. He sat in on each fire, listening to the stories in rapture, taking notes on creatures he'd never even heard of. Drinks were plenty and it was almost a crime for anyone's tankard to be empty at any time. As the night progressed, a few members of the Tribe noticed that even though Ander had been going through a tankard a fire, he was somehow less noticeably drunk than others. This started an argument, which was quickly made into a drinking competition, which eventually led into Ander drinking three Barbarians into a stupor. After that, the drinking competition became a night time required activity and those who could best the Halfling were rewarded in gold. It wasn't until three nights in and they brought out rare Dwarven liquor that Ander was finally beaten and his opponents were given his weight in gold.

As Ander made friends and acquaintances through liquor, Jun listened. He spent his nights just absorbing everything, from the music surrounding him to the snippets of conversation he overheard. One such conversation had involved an Owlbear recipe that Jun wished he'd known back at the mine.

Eira made it her mission to introduce Jun to all the Bands, to her friends and to people she was meeting with for the first time. Since Jun and Ander shared her tent, all sorts of rumors began to spread about the two of them, but they'd come to mutual decision to neither confirm nor deny any of them. It was more fun that way, and the two of them were enjoying the easy-going relationship they'd developed. Eira was eager to show Jun the wonder of the Tribe, and Jun was eager to learn. There hadn't been any sort of ceremony, but it was already understood that Jun was a member of the Tribe and an honorary member of Eira's Band.

Throughout the bouts and revelry, were the Clerics in their red and white robes. They observed every fight, bath, and downtime. One by one they would pull people aside and have quick whispered conversations. Notations were made on small pieces of parchment each one held. Ander had even been pulled aside at one point. As he told Jun later, the Cleric just asked his opinion of Jun and some of the others. The only people that weren't pulled aside were the Barbarians. Everyone was keenly aware of what was at stake.

The morning of the fourth day, all the Bands were assembled in the Arena. Every seat was filled, every aisle crammed. Calder, the leader of Eira's Band, had Ander perched on his shoulder. By this point, Ander had lost all of his negative feelings about being carried around. He'd grown to rather like the view from above, and was happy not to have to worry about being stepped on.

The Barbarians were all assembled in the center of the Arena, unarmed, with the twenty Clerics of Kord standing before them in three nearly straight lines facing them. A wooden platform had been erected just behind the Clerics.

The sound of loud gong rang out and the lines of Clerics quickly straightened out as the large wooden door behind the platform opened. Three figures emerged from the doorway and slowly made their way up the short staircase to the top of the platform. There they stood above the heads of the Barbarians in full view of everyone but the Clerics.

In the middle stood the Elven woman Dirann, her blonde hair holding only hints of silver (the only sign of her age) as it piled on top of her head. Her robes were carefully tailored to her figure, with a full scabbard hung at her side. She wore a medallion of Kord's symbol around her neck. To her left stood Alaric, and to her right stood Moryn with a slightly stooped appearance and the hair crowning his head jutting out at all angles. Next to Alaric's stoic stature and slicked back hair, the two made a rather odd sight.

Dirann raised her hand, and the Arena went deathly quiet.

"Neolemus was brave. Neolemus was strong. Kord greeted him with open arms, as they sat and feasted with the Champions of the past. Neolemus will never be forgotten, we won't let him." She cracked a grin. "As the sun crested over the Silver Rise Mountains, Moryn penned the final word of Neolemus's tale. Now, it is time to start anew.

"While you trained and honed your skills these past three days, Kord has been watching. He watched through our eyes, heard the whispers that surround you through our ears, and found the judgements within our hearts. When your name is called, come and stand before us." Dirann took a step back as Moryn shuffled forward, pulling a folded piece of parchment out of his robe. He cleared his throat with a raspy cough, but bellowed out with a steady tenor.

"Bidrek, Band of the Phantom Claw." A silver Dragonborn marched forward, his head held high.

"Maia, Band of Eternal Wood Spirits." This time, a young dark-skinned woman, her eyes wide in shock stumbled forward.

"Ardena, Band of the Poison Crown." A woman with long braided brown hair standing near Jun sighed deeply before she took her place.

"Jun, Band of the Broken Earth." Jun blinked, sure that he must have misheard. He began to look around him, searching for the next person to step forward.

 _"It was your name he called."_ The soft voice of Dirann said within Jun's mind. Eyes wide, he locked gazes with the Elven woman, who nodded and motioned for him to come up. It took another second or two, but finally Jun's feet began to move. Already positioned in the middle of the pack, he soon became keenly aware of everyone's eyes on him. The journey to the front seemed to take forever, but finally he made it.

Moryn slowly rolled up his parchment, and safely tucked it away in his robe before stepping back and allowing Dirann to take center stage.

"The journey to becoming Kord's Champion is not easy. To become Kord's Champion, you must prove to Kord himself that you are capable of not only the responsibility being a Champion brings, but also of bringing honor and bravery to his name. To that end, the four of you have been chosen as Candidates. You will each be sent away, away from your Bands and homes, to wander the world. As you travel, you will be tested. There will be three tests you must pass, and only those who can pass all three tests will be eligible to compete in the Final Bout. The tests will be at Kord's will, and the time of testing will only end at Kord's command." Dirann swept her eyes over the newly minted Candidates.

"You four have been chosen because of your strength, your heart, and your willingness to adapt. Kord's Champion faces challenges that not even the God's could imagine. To pass the tests, you will need to rely on your instinct and follow the voice inside of you. That voice is Kord, guiding you. The Lord of Storms will steer you through the worst, but it is the faith he has in your strength that bring you to the other side." Dirann nodded solemnly. "Follow Alaric to the Temple, where you will receive the marks of your candidacy. Tomorrow, you will receive your first taste of what's to come." Dirann took a step back and addressed the Arena as a whole.

"Tonight, we celebrate Kord and our Candidates!" She yelled out, arms open wide. Everyone in the Arena began to whoop and holler. The unchosen Barbarians rushed forward and pulled the Candidates up onto their shoulders. The Clerics standing in the neat rows quickly scattered out of the way, whooping and clapping rhythmically as Alaric led the way to the Temple.

"So, any questions?" Alaric asked as he paced about the room. The four Candidates were in the process of having tattoos affixed to their left arms.

"Isn't there a way to do this magically?" Maia's voice was pained as she refused to watch the woman who was slowly hammering ink into her arm.

"There is, but it's not as effective." Alaric grinned as he clasped his hands behind his back. "The ink has been blessed by our Head Priestess herself, and as you may have noticed, your Elders are chanting as they apply the tattoo."

"Couldn't she have blessed for this to go faster?" The Dragonborn asked, annoyed. Due to his scales, it was taking the man twice as long to apply the tattoo.

"It takes as long as it takes, you're in the unbudging tradition of things now. Get used to it." Alaric laughed as Bidrek scowled at him.

"Why was I chosen?" Jun was feeling very lost and uncomfortable. "I've only been with the Tribe for a few days." There was a snort behind him. Jun turned to look, but a quick slap to his head from the Elder next to him quickly stopped him.

"Are you really surprised?" The voice of Ardena said from behind him. Once she'd removed her top, it was revealed that she already possessed a myriad of tattoos. The only one lying down while the tattoo was applied, she seemed very comfortable. "Everyone's talking about you, the Barbarian who found a way to control their _Rage_ without the help of the Tribe. The one who coincidentally sought out the Tribe just as Neolemus died. Nope, everyone pretty much knew that you'd be picked as a Candidate."

"Everyone but me," Jun grumbled.

"Neolemus came to the Tribe later as well." The old man sitting next to Jun said softly. "Like you, Neolemus was born in a land away from the Bands. When he was fifteen, he first experienced the _Rage_. His stepfather was savagely beating his mother and sisters. The urge to protect them is what triggered it. Later, he found it hard to control the _Rage_ , and he made the decision to leave. Like you, he was drawn to the Mountains. Unlike you, he found himself in a heavy storm of ice and snow, a storm out of season. For three days he battled the elements, losing a few toes in the process. Finally, in the middle of the night, he came barreling though the main doors, collapsing just inside the Foyer, only a few minutes after his predecessor had died.

"No one was surprised when Neolemus was put forward as a Candidate only a few days later." The Elder patted the half-finished tattoo with a rag. "The thing Neolemus feared the most about the whole Candidacy, was that if he failed to complete the tests, he wouldn't be welcomed back within the Tribe.

"Once you are accepted by the Tribe, you are a part of it till the day your soul is destroyed. Even in death we don't let go." The man smiled warmly up at Jun, before setting down the rag and starting in once again on the tattoo.

"Usually Candidates who don't achieve the rank of Champion are still revered by their Bands." Bidrek grinned. "Last time a man from my Band was chosen, he was sought after by the women in the Band. He single-handedly brought forth a new generation, if you know what I mean."

"I'm pretty sure the Harken Virgins of Silvanus know what you mean." Ardena rolled her eyes, though only the Elder next to her saw. "Judging by the stories I've heard, you aim to follow in his footsteps."

"I do," The Dragonborn said proudly. "The Leader of my Band wishes to increase our stock with the blood of dragons, so it is my job to fulfill that wish."

"Dragons haven't been seen for thousands of years, what's the use of an army of Dragonborn if you have to dilute your blood with human blood?" Maia asked, craning her neck backwards to see Bidrek. "Are you even full-blooded Dragonborn? You're the only one I've ever heard of let alone seen."

"From what I hear, the last surviving Dragonborn have hidden themselves away from the world." Alaric chimed in. "Have you any answers Bidrek?"

"No idea," Bidrek shrugged. "The Tribe found me in a slaver's market, paid a pretty penny for the 'exotic' slave. Seller wasn't even sure if I could be counted as livestock or not. Ronin, our Band leader, thankfully recognized me as a Dragonborn. I owe him my life."

"Then take this Candidacy seriously." Alaric advised. "Candidates have died on this journey, been seriously maimed, or lost forever. We did not choose the four of you simply because you fit a basic set of skill requirements. It is as Dirann said, you all possess qualities that will aid you, and guide you. Do not underestimate the importance of being able to adapt when you've only known one way of life. Trust your instincts and have faith in Kord. When the Elders release you, head back to the Arena and wait." Alaric nodded to each of them in turn before he turned and left the room.

The sun was just setting below the horizon when all four Candidates gathered in the Arena. Bidrek was the last one to join the group. Waiting in the Arena for each of them, were a leader and one other of each of their Band's. Eira and Calder stood there, and their faces lit up when they saw Jun.

"Dirann said it'd be awhile before you came out, but we've been here half the day." Eira ran to meet Jun. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, still not sure this is real." Jun gave a heavy sigh as he grinned. Eira reached up and pinched his arm. "Ok, it's a real." The two of them shared a laugh while Calder walked up silently and took a hold of Jun's arm as he examined the tattoo that encompassed the whole bicep. The tattoo was of two fists each holding a lightning bolt within their grasps as they connected.

"They explained that the two fists represented the competition." Jun looked up at Calder, who was roughly four or so inches taller than himself.

"Jun, tell me honestly, do you feel you can do this?" Calder said softly as he twisted the arm back and forth as he examined it. "I know this wasn't something you set out to sign up for."

"It wasn't, but I'm not afraid. I set out looking for answers. Answers to what it means to be a Barbarian, answers to that part of myself that could no one could tell me." Jun looked over at Eira, who was smiling. "The plan was never for me to stay here with the Bands. I have a group of people, including Ander, who are counting on me. We've made plans for a future and I'm excited for it. This, this Candidacy, it fits in so well with our plans that I can't help but feel that Kord listened and planned it that way."

Calder patted Jun's arm and released it. "No matter what happens, you are a part of the Band of the Broken Earth. You and your friends will always be welcome amongst us. To that end," Calder cracked a grin and went back over to a pile of blankets that Jun hadn't seen before. Eira grabbed Jun's arm and dragged him over.

"First, this is for you to show anyone who may doubt your inclusion." Calder pulled a necklace out of the blanket. On a leather string was a wooden medallion. Etched into the center was a warhammer as it slammed into the ground, earth flying into the air. On the back of the medallion was Jun's name. Wooden beads were affixed to the string on either side in an obvious pattern.

"The pattern of the beads tells everyone your position in the Band, your family, and anything else significant. Right now, these beads say you are a Candidate, a Barbarian, you have a daughter, and are a part of Eira's family." Calder smiled as Jun's eyes widened in shock. Jun quickly looked over at his fellow Barbarian who grinning widely.

"Why are you so surprised?" Eira clapped Jun on the back, hard. "I thought it was only fitting since I was the one who found you wandering around. To that end, I have a present for you." Kneeling down, Eira unveiled what was truly hiding in the blanket.

"This belonged to my father, and now it belongs to you." Jun was speechless as he took the weapon from Eira. It was a large warhammer, made out of a material even better than what he'd seen the Generals use from the army. He lightly ran his hands over the runes that were lightly carved all over the metal. Some of the runes were large, some were small. Jun didn't have a clue whether they were simply for decoration or for some other purpose. The handle was just the right size for his hands, and it was easy to get a strong grip.

"My father had this weapon for as long as I could remember. He called it a 'Weapon of Warning'." Eira explained softly as she gazed at it.

"We used to give Baraka grief because he'd sleep with it," Calder recalled. "However, he did always seem to have a heads-up on any situation, even in the dead of night."

"Hopefully it will give you an edge during the battle tomorrow." Eira grinned.

"Battle?" Jun finally looked up from the warhammer. "What battle?"

"Didn't they tell you? It's tradition for the new Candidates to all fight each other, to officially mark the beginning of the competition." Calder picked up the blanket. "Eira and I had best be going. You and the other Candidates are the Guests of Honor, so we'll see you shortly. Go ahead and try out your new warhammer, get used to it before tomorrow." Calder winked and walked out of the Arena, Eira with him.

"So, you feel better about your place here?" Ardena said as she walked up to Jun.

"I do, thanks. Who came to see you?" Jun turned to face her, taking in the rest of the

groups assembled in the Arena.

"My husband, he told me to give all of you a break tomorrow before I pulverize you."

She gave a little laugh as she moved to stand next to Jun. She pointed out Maia on the other side of the Arena. It seemed like Maia was being lectured by an older man, while another man about her age was fitting her with a breastplate.

"That's Maia's father there, the one talking non-stop." Ardena explained. "She's one of the youngest ever to be chosen for Candidacy. I'm not surprised that he's nervous for her."

"How old is she?"

"Seventeen," Ardena sighed. "Theirs's is a small Band, only one other Barbarian besides

herself. She had to learn how to fight early on. Her age and tenacity are probably what caught Kord's eye."

"And Bidrek?"

"Only Dragonborn in any of the Bands, fiercely loyal, and a strong fighter? I'd have been very surprised if he wasn't chosen."

"So, the picks for Candidacy aren't as random as the Clerics made it out to be?"

"They never said that the picks were random. The Candidates are representing Kord on

the world stage. Who do you think Kord would rather have? Candidates with interesting backstories that the people can rally around, or Barbarian number three who ticks all the boxes on being generic? Something you have to keep in mind when dealing with Gods, by nature many of the Gods are vain."

"And you? What's your interesting backstory?"

"I left my Band when I was fifteen. My parent's and I had been fighting and in a fit of _Rage_ I just left one night. I was on the verge of punching my father and throwing my mother out of the tent. I ran to protect them from myself. When I'd calmed down, I realized I was lost. I found my way to a local town where an innkeeper took me in. I was a naïve young girl, and thought he'd done it out of the kindness of his heart. I very quickly came to find out that he expected me to pay him back with 'services'. I ripped his dick right off when he forced it into my hand. I gave the small thing to a dog as I ran out.

"After that I joined up as security on a caravan and kept moving. I spent a lot of time in taverns, arm-wrestling for coin. For a while I was a headliner in a wrestling show. A little while after my twenty-second birthday, I started having dreams, terrible ones. I saw my Band burn as fire shot out of the ground. Every night the dreams came, and every night the image got clearer. One night I realized I could see the stars overhead and the shape of a mountain outlined against them. I went to an astrologer, and then a cartographer, and was able to get a location down on a map.

"The journey took two weeks, but finally I made it to the mountain. Another day of travel and I came across my Band." Ardena smiled weakly. "So much time had passed, that no recognized me at first. I pulled out my necklace and proved to them who I was. I was afraid that they wouldn't accept me back, seeing how I'd abandoned them. My mother and father wept as they embraced me and apologized for leaving me. I'd travelled so far and so fast in my _Rage_ that even after three days of looking they couldn't find me.

"I explained to our leader about my dreams, and he ordered the Band to move away from the mountain. It was odd, him just believing me like that, not even questioning if I was telling the truth. That night, the original campsite became a pool of lava as the earth opened up."

"Wow," Jun didn't know what else to say. He watched as Bidrek attached bracers to his arms. "That's quite a story,"

"That's only the beginning. I've been around a while and I've been a part of some pretty great battles. My Band patrols the Realm of Nightmares, so we get to face monsters that everyone else can only dream about."

A whistle caught their attention. Alaric stood at the entrance of the Arena, motioning for all of them to assemble. Dirann stood next to him.

"All day, a party the likes of which none of you have ever seen has been set up." Dirann smiled as she addressed the Candidates. "Enjoy tonight, for tomorrow under the noon sun, you will fight. You will fight to show not only the Bands, but also Kord, what we can expect in the time ahead. Now, the first Candidate to reach the Roasting Pit will receive the first slice of meat. Go." The words were barely out of Dirann's mouth before Bidrek and Maia were racing past the clerics. Jun and Ardena caught on a few seconds later and hauled out as well.

As the Candidates ran, the Bands lined the course from the Arena to the Pit that had been created in front of the Temple doors. Glowing arrows on the ground signaled turns and directions. The course did a loop around the entire complex of the Temple. Ale, flowers, and even coins were showered on the Candidates as they ran. Obstacles such as barrels, ropes, and dogs were set up and had to be navigated around. Any natural noise was drowned out by the cheers and jeers of the Tribe. The four of them stayed close, with each of them pulling ahead at one point or another.

In the end, it was Ardena who reached the Pit first, Maia hot on her heels. Jun was a couple of seconds behind, while Bidrek didn't even finish. Coming around the final bend, he'd been distracted by a female who was very receptive to his words.

"Jun!" Jun looked around for the familiar Halfling voice who'd called him. A moment later Ander came out of the crowd, riding on Eira's shoulder. He was clutching a tankard to his chest, and Eira held two in her hands. She handed one to Jun.

"Nice ink," Ander said as he leaned over and inspected the tattoo.

"Thanks, have you been behaving yourself?" Judging by the slight red tinge to Ander's cheeks and the aroma coming off the small body, that was not Ander's first tankard.

"I'm not a child, and yes I've been behaving." Ander stuck out his tongue. "Oh, look what Eira gave me!" He pulled out a necklace from around his neck with the same wooden carving as Jun's.

"You made him a member of the Band as well?" Jun asked, and Eira snorted.

"No, the beads on his says he's a friend of the Tribe and under the protection of our Band. It also says that he can outdrink a Barbarian. Calder and I figured it might come in handy one day. Ander's been telling us of some of the places he wants to check out. You have a long and dangerous journey in your future, Brother."

"I look forward to it." The two Barbarians clanged tankards. "Are you sure about having me as part of your family? About the warhammer?" Jun's face softened as Eira handed Ander over to a passing Barbarian. From the shouting, it was time for the drinking competition and they'd pulled out something special for the night, Dwarven Ale.

"Kord led me to you for a reason, I firmly believe that." Eira looked down into her tankard. "These past few days, I've seen what you can do, and I've heard what kind of man you are. Anyone would be lucky to have a Brother like you. Besides, with my parents gone the only family I have is the Tribe. Ander mentioned how your adopted family didn't seem to be the best, so I figured we could help each out. If that's ok. As for the weapon, a warhammer's not my style and there no use for a fine weapon to go unused."

Jun was quiet for a minute, taking a large gulp of ale out of his tankard before answering. "It would be my honor to be your brother for as long as you'd have me."

Eira smiled widely as the two of them embraced. "You'd better not embarrass me tomorrow, otherwise I'll whup your ass."

"I'll do my very best." Jun grinned and they went off in search of food.

The party that night was loud, raucous, with food and drink aplenty. None of the gatherings from any of the other night parties could touch this.

Near midnight, Ander joined up with some of the other magically inclined Tribe members and together they put on a light show showcasing some of Kord's most daring tasks and challenges. Alaric's voice brought these tales to light, while Dirann provided the narration of the tale of the Tribe of the Red Storm.

Shortly after Dirann was finished, the Candidates were taken into the Temple to ensure they'd be well-rested for the battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, there you have it. That's the end of Jun. We'll start with Ander next time...I'm just kidding. I'd never deprive you of a Barbarian fight! Seriously, next chapter is the last of the Jun-focused chapter. Originally I was thinking only one or two chapters, but nope the story demanded three.
> 
> Hopefully you've been enjoying yourself, and thank you so much to everyone who's been reading and sharing the story with their friends and followers. I will answer any questions of what exactly I'm trying to do here.
> 
> Now, as a special treat, if you guys want of course, I will post Jun's stats at the end of next chapter. If you want, but you have to let me know.
> 
> Till next time!


	16. Barbarian Finale

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 16 - Barbarian Finale  
**

Clerics woke up the Candidates the next morning with a hearty breakfast of various fruits and meat. None of the Candidates spoke as they ate, and they barely even exchanged morning grunts. All of them had only one thing on their minds.

After the meal was consumed, they were each ushered back into their rooms where a contingent of Clerics waited for each of them. The Candidates were bathed in perfumed water before they were dressed.

Jun was put into a pure white sleeveless tunic with black pants that ended just above his ankle. He was allowed to wear his own boots, but they'd been visibly cleaned. A large red sash was tied around his waist tightly, only a little tail left hanging at his side.

His hair was trimmed back. Already he preferred a style that had become popular in the military before he'd left. The sides and back of his hair were shaved close to his scalp, while the top was thicker. The Clerics tamed the mop the top was becoming, cutting it back and styling it so it stayed out of his eyes. The sides and back were cropped close. When they went to shave the scruff off his face, Jun waved them away.

"I've spent too long forced to have a smooth face, I want to see my beard." The Clerics all had a little laugh. Jun did let them do some touch-ups where it started to grow patchy in places. After the facial hair was dealt with, red paint was applied.

"Originally we were going to do half your face, but now we'd run the risk of ruining your beard." The young Cleric explained as she colored in a thick line across his face and around his eyes. Jun gave a nod in appreciation.

Finally, he was ready. Two Clerics led him through the Temple and out to the Arena. A third Cleric trailed behind them, Jun's Warhammer in his hands.

Cacophony roared from the Arena as they drew closer. Inside, a fifty by fifty ring outlined with red ropes stood. White dust marked the inside. Jun was led to a corner. He was the second to arrive.

Around him the Bands howled as each Candidate arrived. Flags and streamers of red and white dotted the crowd. Along the edge, the four Bands of the Candidates were given seats up front, Kord's crest stamped into the wall below them. The sky above was cloudy, with only streaks of light streaming through. Jun was actually grateful for the cover. He'd seen earlier how glaring the white marble of the Arena could be under the sunlight and he didn't need any distractions.

Calder and Eira led their Band into a roar as Jun walked in. Ander was once again situated on Calder's shoulder. This time, he had a length of rope holding him in place, just in case.

Near the front of the Arena, the platform from before had been decked out in red and which cloth, and three chairs had been added. Two of the chairs were simple wooden chairs, while the large chair in the middle was covered in the dark pelt of an animal Jun couldn't recognize. Dirann sat in the fur covered chair, flanked by Alaric and Moryn. On the ground next to them was a large ornate gong. As the Clerics led the Candidates in and deposited them, they took up positions around the edge of the ring a few feet back.

The excitement in the air was palpable as the Candidates were handed their weapons and made their way into the Ring.

Like Jun, the other three were dressed in sleeveless white tunics, black pants, and red sashes tied around their waists.

Bidrek's silver skin nearly matched his tunic. On his right arm, opposite of his new tattoo, was a ring of what appeared to claws. Going by some of the stories Jun had heard during the week, he was willing to bet they were bear claws. In his hands Bidrek held twin battleaxes while a pair of bracers adorned his arms. The red paint smeared across his face outlined his prominent cheekbones. Combined with his tall 6'10" height he was an imposing figure.

Comparatively, he just made Maia's 5'3" even shorter. Her hair, while already short, had been trimmed even closer to her scalp. She wore the breastplate that Jun had seen the previous day and held a greatsword. She was the only one wearing armor. Her war paint was two simple stripes under her eyes.

Ardena's long hair was piled up and secured on top of her head. Her tunic showed off the ripped muscles of her arms as she made a few practice swings with her own battleaxe, this one obviously made of a better material than both of Bidrek's. A red line was drawn down the middle of her face and neck.

Dirann stood up and raised her hands. The crowd around her quieted.

"I know better than to bore with a speech, but I feel I must at least say something." A smile graced her lips. "Fight hard, play fair, and may you bring glory to Kord. Begin!" As the words left her lips the gong rang out, its mallet seemingly held by invisible hands.

The four Candidates barely moved for the first few seconds, just slowly stepping forward as they sized up their opponents. Jun took two forceful steps towards the center of the Ring, his hands clenched around his warhammer, ready for someone to face him. Ardena moved toward him, showing off her swinging technique to Jun, almost asking if he was truly ready.

It was Bidrek who made the first real move. With a roar he entered a _Rage_ and ran full tilt towards Maia. In surprise Maia threw her right arm up to block the first axe. The axe dug in but gave Maia the jolt needed to fend off the second one with her sword.

Pulling her arm out, Maia entered her own _Rage_ and the scent of salt water filled the air surrounding her. Bidrek bristled slightly as a small electric current ran over him. As she brought her sword up, Bidrek reached out and smacked the sword away from him.

Suddenly Bidrek hissed. Turning his head, he watched as Jun pulled his warhammer away from the Dragonborn's back.

"Low blow attacking from behind." Bidrek snarled. His eyes flared and quickly took in his opponents. He moved out of their range, but not before Jun had reached out and raked a wide line down the length of the silver back, tearing the tunic completely. The force made Bidrek stumble and fall to the ground, but he managed to catch himself and instead kneel facing the two Candidates. Ardena was back away from the skirmish, her axe resting over her shoulders as she just watched.

"Let's take a minute and just cool down." Bidrek gave a small laugh before breathing out a cone of the most intense cold Jun had ever felt. The winters in Nydag were bad, but Jun could feel the beginning of frostbite on the tips of his ears and nose. Looking over at Maia, she looked just as frostbitten.

Maia was the first to shake off the cold and charge forward. Bidrek dodged the blow as he rose to his feet, but once again the smell of salt water filled his nostrils as his skin tingled with electricity. It wasn't enough to truly hurt him, but it was enough to make him pay attention.

At least until Jun came around the side, _Rage_ written all over his face. Bidrek watched almost in slow motion as the warhammer slammed into his shoulder. As the weapon connected, a bright light pulsed out. Bidrek hissed, more so from the light than the hit.

Seeing the light ring out of Jun's weapon, Ardena sighed. Sidling up to Jun, she took a couple of swings at him, with only one of them leaving a faint scratch on his arm. It was obvious to everyone she hadn't really tried.

Now that Jun had a new playmate, Bidrek narrowed in on Maia. She was able to evade the first, but not the second axe as it cut into her armor and found skin.

With a scream Maia brought her greatsword down on Bidrek, slicing his arm just under his totem. Blood dripped down his arm, that same electrical current making it dance as it raced through him.

In a _Rage_ -filled fury Bidrek attacked, but Maia deflected one axe as the other axe bounced off her armor.

Something in Bidrek's eyes didn't sit right with Maia. Dashing away, she raced toward Jun where he'd just slammed his warhammer into Ardena's face, causing her lip to bleed. She misjudged the distance between the two of them as she struck out with her greatsword, but Maia still managed to slice into Jun's calf with the tip of her sword.

Jun grunted and turned to face her.

"I'm a little busy." He snarled as he brought his warhammer up, catching her right in the chest. Between the light that radiated out from the attack and the force of the blow, Maia was pushed back. Her breath came in gasps as she blinked away stars, and she was unsteady on her feet. The armor was visibly dented.

"Nice swing," Ardena called out. Besides the audience, she'd been the only one who saw Bidrek come up behind Maia, chasing her, and miss with his axes as Jun's light blinded him as well.

Her eye's still a little blurred, Maia went for the bigger target which happened to be Jun. She missed. This time, it was Jun who smelled the sea and felt the electricity as it raced through him.

Jun swung at Bidrek, but Bidrek moved out of the way as he went in closer towards Maia.

By now the crowd had begun to sneer at Ardena from the stands. She paid them no heed though as she circled around the group, taking a position a few feet behind Jun and Maia.

Bidrek could feel his _Rage_ beginning to end. With a savage inhuman draconic roar, he attacked Maia with everything he had left. Sparks flew as one axe scrapped along her breastplate, and the other sliced along her wrist. Blood spurted out, splattering all over the once white tunic of Bidrek. Maia fell in a heavy heap.

Just as she hit the ground, her eyes sprang open. With her wrist still bleeding, but not gushing, she began to crawl towards the outside of the ring.

Jun stepped over her and swung out towards Bidrek in an effort to cover her retreat. It didn't even matter if he hit or not, which he didn't.

Finally, Ardena entered a _Rage_. Running up to Jun she caught him once at the base of the neck. "Let her fight her own battles. That is the only way she will learn!"

"He's going to kill her!" Jun roared over his shoulder as he aimed for Bidrek's legs. What Jun and Maia could see that Ardena could not, was the bloodlust in Bidrek's eyes. Jun's attack missed, and Bidrek rounded on the prone Maia, his _Rage_ -filled eyes focused solely on her as he entered his second _Rage_.

The dragonborn twirled his axe before he brought it down, burying it in Maia's left leg. Maia screamed and passed out as Bidrek savagely jerked the axe out. With his other axe, he brought it down the same way to Maia's right leg. Her body jerked as blood sprayed out, covering Bidrek's face.

With a hitch to her breath, Maia's eyes fluttered open once again. Terror filled them as she looked up at the silver dragonborn covered in her blood. Using the last of her strength, Maia crawled through the ropes to the waiting huddle of Clerics. Bidrek struck out one last time, but instead sliced a red-dyed rope instead of her.

Once she was outside of the ring Maia was loaded onto a stretcher and taken out of the Arena, two Clerics already casting healing spells upon her.

"Is that how a Champion of Kord fights? Wailing on an opponent who can no longer fight back?" Jun roared as he attacked Bidrek, not even acknowledging the blow Ardena gave him as he ran past her. Bidrek moved to the side, but his height got him as Jun stuck his leg with a flash of radiant light. Bidrek's knee buckled inward, but only for a moment as the dragonborn stayed standing.

"If it is, then I'm ashamed." Ardena said softly so only Jun could hear as she joined him.

Bidrek, seeing a new opponent he hadn't hit yet, attacked Ardena. The first axe bit deeply into her bicep, but she blocked the second axe.

Jun could feel his _Rage_ fading as he went in for another strike. The warhammer slid off the silver scales and Bidrek didn't even react.

Ardena attempted to use Jun's attack as a distraction, but instead became Jun's distraction as Bidrek blocked her attacks.

"You're boring me," Bidrek growled as he shoved Ardena away from him and faced Jun. Jun blocked the first axe, but Bidrek brought the second one in from the side. The axe slashed through Jun's side, causing him to yell in pain. With his _Rage_ gone Jun felt every inch of the axe as it tore through him.

Jun's breathing was coming in hard gasps. Weakly he tried to attack Bidrek but missed.

Ardena came up behind Jun.

"Let me take care of him," she whispered before slashing his arm.

Bidrek towered over Jun, and with a slash to the arm and a final slash to the chest, Jun fell at his feet. The Dragonborn claimed another victory.

"It's just you and me now, Big Guy." Ardena's eyes flashed red as she let the smell of blood send her into a _Frenzied Rage_. Each blow accompanied with a yell, she hit Bidrek once, twice, three times with her axe. Each blow pushed him back until finally his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed on the ropes.

The crowd roared as Ardena held up her weapon and faced her Band. Clerics rushed towards the two fallen fighters, their faces being the last thing Jun saw before he fully sank into unconsciousness.

"Jun, it's time to wake up." Jun grunted as the soft voice cut through the hazy mist. He opened his eyes slowly, hissing softly at the bright light streaming in through a window. He was in his room at the Temple.

"How are you feeling?" The same voice asked. Jun looked over and saw Alaric sitting on the edge of his bed, a half-eaten apple in his hand. As Jun watched the older man brought it up and took a large bite out of the fruit.

"Sore, but alive." Jun sat up. "How's Maia?" Alaric's face fell.

"Still unconscious. She was badly hurt due to Bidrek's strikes, especially her right leg. By the time they'd arrived at the Temple and could truly heal her, it was too late. Her entire right foot was black, circulation had been stopped and it'd died. They had no choice but to cut off it so the rest of her could heal." Jun was silent as he let the words process.

"Her foot, she lost her foot." Jun whispered. "How can she fight without her foot?"

"She can't, and Kord has felt the need to take away her Candidacy. The tattoo had already vanished from her arm by the time they'd gotten her to the Temple."

"What will happen to her?"

"She will go home. This was an injury accrued in battle. There is no shame, her inexperience just got the best of her."

"And Bidrek, what about him? He let his bloodlust get the best of him." Jun clenched the bedsheets in anger.

"I know. If Dirann had her say Bidrek would be stripped of his Candidacy as well, but it is not Kord's will. His Band hails him as a hero for his actions. That I am disgusted by." Alaric took another bite and thought for a moment. "Bidrek is strong and has natural abilities, but he does not possess the level of control that a Champion needs. The level of control that Ardena possesses."

"Did she win?" Alaric nodded. "Good."

"Jun, I have something very important to tell you, so I need you to listen to me." Alaric's tone went deadly serious as he pinned down Jun with his stare.

"Of course," Jun gulped as trepidation filled him. In horror he looked down at his arm, but only felt a modicum of relief that the tattoo was still there.

"The Battle was designed so that Candidates could show off their prowess, show off what the Bands were to get behind. Show their power, their abilities." Alaric stood up and went over to the open window. "Both Bidrek and Ardena showed what they are capable of, but the Bands came away with an uneasy sense about you." He chucked the apple core out of the window before turning to face Jun once again.

"You ran around the field taking cheap shots at your opponents and covering the backs of those who are supposed to be your enemies. You are a Barbarian Jun! You are to lead the battle, be a fighting force that no one can stop. You were stopped and you came away with a reputation as a support fighter." Alaric's words cut Jun, and there was silence. Jun climbed out of bed and faced Alaric.

"Where I come from, the strong protect the weak. Where I come from, you don't attack those who can't attack back. Maia lost her foot because of Bidrek, if I hadn't stepped in, she might have lost her life."

"Then she would have-"

"Don't give me that!" Jun roared. "Don't give me that 'she would have died in battle' spiel. Bidrek crossed a line, and it wasn't a battle anymore. Bidrek became a monster that we had to put down. The kind of monster that all of you were so surprised that I didn't become over the years of not being part of the Tribe. He didn't control his _Rage_ , he gave into it.

"If my actions were so disgraceful to the Tribe, then why do I still have the tattoo? Why hasn't mine vanished like Maia's? If your whole point is that I'm ultimately unfit to be a Candidate, which is where I think you're going, then why is it still there?"

"Obviously Kord still thinks you can learn." Alaric took a step closer. "Like you Neolemus didn't fight like us, but he learned over time."

"I'm not Neolemus. My name is Jun Ling and my story is my own. It's as Dirann said, Neolemus's tale is done."

"But his spirit lives in you, I can see it." Alaric rushed closer to Jun but Jun pushed him away.

"I have nothing to do with him!" Jun stalked to the other side of the room, away from Alaric. "I came here wanting to know more about the Barbarian side of me, so that I could protect a group who have put their lives in my hands. Whatever or whoever you think I am, I'm not."

Silence descended between the two of them. Alaric made a move to go forward, but Jun took a step back.

"You're not ready, I understand. We will talk later." Alaric left without another word. As soon as the door was closed behind him, Jun went to the small chest at the foot of the bed and retrieved his clothes. After he'd left the military, he'd decided to try out some new fashions, and though the fur vest was warm, he'd never really felt comfortable. He was happy when he discovered a Nydag trader in Dayur. He quickly traded in his fur vest for a hanfu set.

" _Are you dressed?"_ A soft voice asked in his head a few minutes later.

"Yes," Jun answered to empty air. He had just finished putting on the first layer of his hanfu. A section of the far wall moved out and over and out stepped Dirann. She was still dressed in the red robe with white strappings that she'd worn at the Battle.

"What do you want?" Jun asked as he grabbed the next layer and began putting it on.

"To check on you, I've checked in on all the Candidates. I gave Bidrek a piece of my mind, but I'm not sure any of it stuck." Dirann moved and sat on the bed. "I think you have some questions."

"Who does Alaric think I am? Neolemus?"

"That is a question not easily answered. He sees similarities in you and Neolemus most definitely, but he also prescribes to a very strict way of looking at the world. To him, a Barbarian is about strength and prowess. He's an eloquent speaker, but he doesn't always listen to what he says. This new rise to the clergy has given him a platform."

"Is he challenging you?"

Dirann laughed. "No, he wouldn't dare. I've been High Priestess for far too long. I hold secrets and knowledge that he can't even dare to imagine. No, my position is safe. Yours however, is precarious."

Jun snorted. "Apparently I don't possess the qualities a Barbarian should."

"You don't, and that makes you unique." Jun looked at Dirann in surprise. "Jun, Bidrek would have killed Maia. Any second longer and I was ready to step in, but I didn't have to. It's not often that another Barbarian comes to the aid of a fellow Barbarian like you did. What I mean is, do you remember what Ardena did?"

"She told me to back off essentially."

"She also took a swing at you. Ardena waited until you were down before she unleashed on Bidrek. She waited until she was the only opponent left. The Barbarians in the Bands have come to think that only one can stand out. That it is truly the last man standing that matters. The competition can get so fierce to be the last one that some Bands refuse to have more than one Barbarian fighting the same battle at a time.

"They and Alaric, and countless others throughout all the Bands, seem to have forgotten that a single Barbarian is not that powerful. A single Barbarian cannot fight an army, a single Barbarian cannot be a force unto themselves. They need support and help like any other. But nowadays they put these Barbarians on such high pedestals that when a Barbarian does need help, they feel shame for asking. That shame leads them to not ask. Neolemus didn't want to seem weak for asking for help with his injury from the Band he helped. He waited until he returned to the Temple to ask me to look at his injury. By then it was too late, the poison had gotten into his system and all we could was watch.

"This culture that Alaric and others are preaching, it isn't helping. It's hurting." Dirann took a shaky breath.

"But today, today I watched you stand over a fellow Barbarian so that they could get to help. Today I watched you team up against a common enemy not for the glory, but because it was a threat." Dirann stood up and walked over to Jun. "Today I watched you set an example of what a Barbarian can and should be. Don't listen to Alaric. Keep fighting like that and show the rest of these fools that you'll be the one left standing at the end." Dirann gave one last smile before she left the way she'd came, not giving Jun a chance to respond.

Jun stood in that empty room, thinking about the two very different conversations he'd had in a very short amount of time. He walked over to the window as he put on his last layer and looked out on the grounds. The sun was still high in the sky, the clouds being on their way out, so not much time had passed since the battle. Already whole sections of the tent city were being dismantled. The time of revelry had passed, it was time to get back to work.

Gathering his warhammer from the chest, Jun left the Temple and made his way back to his Band's encampment. He tried to ignore the looks of disappointment and sneers that he received from the faces that before were only joyous and proud. As soon as he reached the encampment he went straight to his tent and began packing his and Ander's things.

"Do you want to talk?" Eira's voice said from behind him as she entered the tent after him.

"Depends, are you as disappointed in me as everyone else?" Jun didn't look at her.

"No, I mean sure the battle could have gone differently, but you'll learn how to fight like a Barbarian. All it takes is practice."

Jun paused and took a deep breath. "So you're saying that I should have helped tear down Maia, instead of trying to stop Bidrek? Is that how a Barbarian fights? Just wail on the weaker opponent until they die or lose a limb?" Jun stood up and rounded on Eira, his voice yelling as he reached his breaking point. "Or would you prefer that I just ignored Maia and her plight and instead focused on attacking Ardena. Essentially just taking a step back and letting Bidrek kill Maia. Tell me, how exactly should I have acted in that scenario? Alaric just criticized me, and Dirann wants me to become some sort of example, but neither of them actually gave me any useful tips, so here I am. Here I am asking my new sister, What-Should-I-Have-Done?" Jun's hands were clenched into fists as his whole body shook.

"I know, that I wasn't classically trained like everyone else here. Here, you're taught to let your _Rage_ guide you, to let your _Rage_ steer you from one battle to the next. I wasn't trained like that, as I've told all of you many times. I was trained to guide my _Rage_ , instead of it guiding me. To channel the strength and fury into my strikes at an opponent I chose. I was taught to work with the other soldiers in my platoon, to trust them as much as they trusted me. We worked together to take down our foes, instead of just me running out there and them following behind and working around me. Everytime I go into battle, I go in with the mindset of how to work with my allies for a common good. I don't go in looking to be Top Dog or the last one standing. If I'm the last one standing, that usually meant that I'd failed." Jun sat down heavily on the ground. "So I'm sorry if how I fight is such a disappointment, but I can't just flip a switch and change it. I don't want to." Silence followed as Jun's voice tapered out to a whisper. Eira wordlessly sat down next to him, not saying anything for several minutes.

"Maybe, you have a point." She finally admitted. "For the past thirty or so years, there's been a noticeable decline in Barbarians. Too many of us are falling in battle, many not living long enough to sire children. That's why some Barbarians have taken to 'sowing their seeds' as Alaric put it. A lot of the Bands are stringent when it comes to bloodlines and who can reproduce with who.

"Before, I just assumed that the dangers we were facing were increasing, and that was why we were dying off. But now, maybe you're right in that we're fighting wrong. Like you I've only ever fought one way, but you're right. If you hadn't stepped in, Maia would be dead. No one else would have stepped over her like that. I would have tried to get Bidrek's attention, but I wouldn't have physically put myself in harm's way like that to save someone I wasn't related to."

"So, you don't think I'm a disappointment?" Jun asked softly, looking over at Eira.

"No, I think you're exactly who Kord needs as his Champion." Eira smiled softly and slung her arm around him. "No matter what Little Brother, I'm in your corner. I'm going to make it my mission to beat up anyone who doubts you while you're off having adventures."

"That's strangely comforting," Jun confessed with a laugh. The knot that had been forming in the pit of his stomach ever since he'd woken up to Alaric had finally started to untangle.

"Finish getting your gear ready to go. We aim to be heading out in an hour." Eira told him, and with a final clap to his back she left the tent. A few minutes after she'd left Ander wandered.

"So, do you think the trip was worth it?" The wizard asked as he began stuffing items in his bag, not all of them his.

"In the end, I think it was." Jun told him. Jun relayed the talks he'd had with Alaric, Dirann, and finally Eira as he showed Ander how to better pack his gear.

An hour and a half later, the Band of the Broken Earth was leaving the Temple grounds. The Band accompanied Jun and Ander back to Dayur. They had to pick up the last of their winter supplies before they headed back to the Realm of Nightmares.

True to her word, anyone in the Band who voiced their doubts about Jun was given a black eye courtesy of Eira.

It was a three-day journey back to Dayur. During that time, Eira and eventually Calder, listened and took note to many of the strategies and tactics that Jun had learned while in the military.

Ander taught a young magic-user the cantrip _Fire Bolt._ He wanted to leave the Band with more to remember him than just his drinking reputation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And with that ladies and gentlemen, our time with The Tribe is over. We've got Ander on the docket next, but first, as promised, Jun's stats!
> 
> Name: Jun Ling  
> Class/Level: Barbarian Lvl. 3 - Path of the Zealot  
> Race: Human  
> Age: 25  
> STR: 18  
> DEX: 15  
> CON: 16  
> INT: 12  
> WIS: 14  
> CHA: 15  
> HP: 40  
> AC: 15
> 
> Till next time!


	17. Reconnecting

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 17 - Reconnecting  
**

"Ander Tealeaf, T-E-A-L-E-A-F." Ander spelled out, practically lying down on the counter as he watched the middle-aged man behind it thumb through various missives and letters.

"Mr. Tealeaf, you have had me check this same stack three times already." The man said, his voice calm as he stowed the sheaf of papers away. "As you are well aware, it can take weeks for the Recovery Department to send an official response to your application. I will be sure to inform you when it arrives."

Ander sighed heavily. "Fine." Ander clambered back down to the floor where his pack was waiting. He and Jun had only just arrived back in Dayur after their excursion in the Silver Rise Mountains. Ander's first stop had of course been the Circle's local chapter.

"Are you sure you won't be needing a room?" The man asked, his black hair swaying as he leaned over precariously in order to see Ander.

"Can Jun have a room here as well?" Ander asked, pointedly not looking up.

"As Jun is not a member of the Circle, then no, same answer as last time."

"Then we'll be staying at the inn down the road, and I will be sending the Circle my bill. After all, 'in the event that the Circle cannot accommodate a member within the chapter walls, they will offer financial compensation for lodging elsewhere within the city limits.'." Ander sent a smug look up at the man. There was a brief pause before the man answered.

"I know you think you're being smart by reciting the handbook, but we will be challenging that bill. My advice, don't go too crazy with your lodging demands." And with that the man disappeared through a door behind the counter, leaving Ander alone in the small reception room at the front of the Circle: Dayur Chapter House.

Just a few doors down was The Gleaming Rose Tavern and Inn. Due to its proximity to the Chapter House, it was used to seeing its fair share of magically-inclined denizens. It was well-known that the owners, a husband-and-wife team, were able to get their hands on anything their guests requested. In recent years, the two of them had even expanded their operations to a second business. Across the street sat the The Gilded Rose, one of the most frequented brothels of Dayur.

Inside The Gleaming Rose, Jun was sitting at the bar, nursing a drink and chatting with the barkeep.

"What's the verdict?" Jun asked as Ander climbed into the seat next to him.

"No word, and we'll have to stay here. Technically I don't have to, but after looking at the Guestbook, they seemed pretty full at the Chapter House."

"Can I get you boys anything to eat? It's coming up on suppertime, and I'd recommend eating before the dinner rush starts." The dark-skinned barkeep flung a rag over her shoulder. Her black hair was barely held back by the scarf holding it as she flashed a toothy grin over her latest patrons.

"Depends on what you've got." Jun took a large swig of his grog.

"We've a meat pie that's just come out of the fire, or a mincemeat stew that's been simmering all day. We just got a new shipment of spices in from Winter Horn, so they're pretty flavorful."

"The stew sounds great, what about you Ander?"

"I'll take a slice of the meat pie, and a couple of drinks for the two of us. Do we speak to you about the rooms?"

"Rooms, are we not sharing?" Jun looked quizzically at his companion.

"Since this is on the Chapter House's tab, I figured we could splurge." Ander grinned, and the barkeep laughed.

"Alright then, food, drink, and lodging all charged to the Chapter House. Go ahead and grab a table, I'll get everything out to you shortly." The bartender smiled and disappeared into the kitchen behind the bar.

Jun downed the last of his drink, and then followed Ander to a table back in a corner of the tavern but close to the stairs leading to the rooms.

"So, what's the plan. We just sit and wait for the Circle to authorize us?" Jun pulled out a second chair and crossed his legs while he reclined back, hands behind his head.

"Pretty much, I mean we can leave, but then we'd have to wait for them to catch up. Staying here is probably our best bet at getting an answer sooner rather than later."

"Have you put any idea into some jobs for after we get the OK from the Circle?"

Ander nodded and pulled out a book from his bag. "While you were training, I spent some time in the library and talking with some of the Clerics. They told me of a few locations that the Bands had found before, but didn't have time to explore. I was thinking we could start with one of those. Of course, it is protocol as well for the Circle to have specific missions for the teams as well so they're bound to have a few suggestions." Ander quickly flipped through the pages, scanning the hastily written notes looking for the relevant passages.

Jun stopped listening halfway through as the sight of their food caught his eye. Atop a tray with a small plate of bread and three mugs, their food glided across the room to their table. Jun blinked and rubbed his eyes, just to confirm that the tray was floating in the air. As the tray got closer, Jun looked towards the bar, just in time to see the barkeep accept a few coins from a stranger shrouded in a black cloak.

The tray stopped at the table, and slowly the various pieces were deposited on the table one by one. Jun noticed that a second slice of meatpie sat on the plate that was placed in front of Ander.

The cloaked figure quickly made their way over to the table, passing the tray as it took itself back to the bar. Coming up behind Ander, the figure lowered their hood and made eye contact with Jun. The figure was a young woman, with platinum-colored hair that was half tied up in an elaborate braid with thin ringlets on either side of her face. Her left eye was the color of the ocean, while the other was hidden behind a dark blue eyepatch. Underneath her visible eye was a thick light blue streak that looked to have been painted on with a brush. As she brought a hand up to her lips and silently 'sshh'-ed Jun, he could see a similar streak encircle down her arm and end in the center of her palm.

The woman bent down and covered Ander's eyes with her hands. "If you say anyone else's name right now, I'm turning around and leaving." The woman said with a smile.

"Shenir!" Ander yelped excitedly as he grabbed the hands and pushed them up away from his face. Quickly standing up in his chair and turning around, he faced the woman. The two of them embraced, Ander almost disappearing as Shenir held him tightly. The two of them kissed deeply, before they let each other go.

"What are you doing here?" Ander asked as the chair next to him was pulled out by unseen hands and Shenir settled herself down in it.

"I got your letter, and it just so happened that I had some business to conduct in Dayur anyway. I've been here for two days now. I told the Chapter House to inform me when you arrived back in town so I could surprise you." Shenir and Ander shared another kiss before she turned her attention to Jun across the table. "Was your foray into the mountains a success?"

"In a way," Jun's attention was fixed on Ander's pack sitting on the floor. Contents were floating in and out of the pack seemingly of their own free will. Shenir leaned over and snapped her fingers in Jun's face.

"That's just my _Unseen Servant_ , don't mind it." Shenir explained. "Now, Ander's letter didn't say exactly why you were heading into the mountains, just mentioned something about the Barbarians. Can I assume you met the Tribe?"

"Yeah. I wanted to find out more about that part of myself. My father was a member of the Tribe." Jun explained, focusing instead on the stew in front of him. "You're the girlfriend Ander mentioned, right?"

"Unless he's developed of habit of kissing random people, I would assume so." Shenir picked up the fork and took a bite out of one of the slices. Ander was already several bites through his slice. "Did you find the answers you were looking for?"

"Yes, but then a lot more questions." Jun held out his bicep and showed her his new ink. "What kind of business brought you to town?"

"Chasing down a lead. That's the symbol of Kord, right?"

"Yes, I'm now a candidate to be his Champion. Are you going to give me any real answers?"

"To the correct questions. Is that warhammer just for show, or are you a good fighter?"

"Good enough to have saved Ander's life many times already. What's a correct question?"

"See, now that just takes the fun out of it." Shenir smirked and took a long drink, keeping eye contact with Jun over the rim. "What makes you think you haven't been asking the right questions already?"

"Because I've barely gotten any information in this exchange."

"Now, that's not true. You know I'm a spellcaster because I claimed the _Unseen Servant_ , you've established that I am the person romantically involved with your party member, and the face that I referred to the Barbarians as the Tribe should have clued you in that I'm not your average person in terms of information." Shenir counted off the reasons on her fingers.

"You should also be getting the feeling that she likes for people to think she's the smartest person in the room. She's really not though, she just has a really good memory." Ander grabbed his mug and took a large swig. Other patrons were beginning to filter into the tavern now.

"Sometimes it's no fun if you just give people the answer." Shenir admonished as she took another bite. "That's why you don't have many friends."

"Are you implying that I don't have a lot of friends because I don't play mind games and instead just prove that I'm smart instead of implying it?"

"Yes, "

"Alright just checking." Ander scooped up the last bite of his pie. "Are you staying at the Chapter House?"

"No, I made a deal with the owners and got a room over at the Gilded Rose. The rooms there are nicer than any of the rooms here or at the Chapter House, and the security around the rooms are top-notch. Part of the deal was that I'd bring in at least one customer for their establishment. So, what do you say, daring adventurer, will you buy a night at The Gilded Rose?" Shenir leaned in close to Ander and whispered the last part in his ear.

"I can't charge the Gilded Rose expense to the Chapter House though, new rule." Ander whined with a pout.

"True, but did I mention that my room over there has an enormous bathtub?" Shenir gave a playful nip to Ander's ear.

"Alright alright!" Ander giggled and pulled his ear away. "You've convinced me."

"Excellent, and what about you Jun? I've seen some exquisite beauties over there, and they pride themselves on not judging tastes." Shenir asked as her _Unseen Servant_ cleared away their empty dished and took them back to the barkeep. Jun leaned back in his chair and thought for a few moments. Finally, he shrugged.

"Why not." Jun grinned and stood up, grabbing his pack. As Shenir stood up, Jun noticed a small bag at her side, about a foot long and only a few inches wide. It was made of a dark leather with a matching strap that hung across Shenir's chest under her cloak. She was also wearing a sleeveless light blue dress that ended just above her knees. Black leggings and a thick belt completed her ensemble.

The three of them left the inn and headed across the street. The sun was already very low in the sky, a sign that autumn was still clinging on. As they approached the double-door entrance, music could be heard emanating out.

Walking in they were greeted with the sight of a dance hall. Colored cloths hung down from the ceiling, while mosaic tapestries lined the walls. Two chandeliers hung from the ceiling, dimly lighting the room. Small high-backed booths had been arranged on the edges, each one with its own little candle. In the back corner was a small stage where a band was situated. Soft music played as the room filled with patrons for the night.

On the right-side of the room was a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor. Two bouncers stood at the foot, each of them armed.

"I thought this was a brothel." Jun asked, looking around the establishment. Waitresses in feathered caps flitted about serving drinks.

"It is," Shenir laughed and began pointing out girls who were either slowly swaying to the music or just lounging in the booths. "If they're wearing red ribbons in their hair they're available for the night. The only way to get a drink is from the waitresses, they've got the bar hidden in the back."

"Do you want to dance?" Ander looked up at Shenir. Their hands were clasped tightly.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea." Shenir and Ander disappeared off towards the band. Jun smiled and shook his head before turning to look over what was offered for company.

For the next hour, Shenir and Ander danced as they requested various songs from the band. For anyone watching, it was quite a sight due to their height differences. Shenir stood about 5' 6", while Ander was only 3' on his tiptoes. However, it was very apparent that it didn't matter to them as Ander literally danced circles around his beautiful girlfriend. Laughter rang out as they enjoyed themselves, with stolen kisses and touches becoming a sort of game.

Jun made his way out onto the dance floor a couple of times, both times at the behest of the woman he'd been chatting up. He did well with the first one, letting his partner lead the dance more. The second time lasted only a moment and was over the minute he stepped on her foot, hard. Jun didn't stay out too much longer after that before disappearing upstairs with his blonde first dance partner.

As the night wore on, Ander and Shenir found themselves nestled together in a booth, each with a drink.

"So, this lead you're chasing down, does it have to do with your assignment?" Ander asked.

"Yep, apparently a Deva was spotted at a local temple five years ago. I've spent the past two days looking into all six temples in town, but have gotten nowhere. None of them remember seeing the Deva."

"We'll head out and explore the city tomorrow, maybe the temple doesn't exist anymore or moved?" Ander took a large gulp of his drink. The wine was good, and it was a treat drinking it out of a glass flute, but a part of him missed the ale he'd consumed with the Tribe.

"That sounds like plan. After all, this is the best clue I've gotten in over a year." Shenir sighed. "I've already been here for a whole year."

"Have you had any contact with Remm?" Ander asked.

"A couple of letters, but it's hard to really stay in touch with someone in the Feywild. I'm not even sure how old she is anymore, what with time being different there." Shenir downed the last of her wine, her fourth glass.

"Well, no matter what, from what you've told me, 'Grandmother' Jozion isn't going to let anything happen to her." Ander climbed out of the booth and gently pulled Shenir out with him. "It's getting late, we should get some sleep."

"You know, I really lucked out when I met Jozion." Shenir slightly slurred as they made their way towards the staircase. Unlike Ander, Shenir wasn't as impervious to alcohol. "Did I tell you that if she hadn't taken me in, I would have died in the Feywild. I owe her my life."

"I'm sure she saw something special in you." Ander was only half-listening, having heard a variation of this story every time Shenir indulged. He was instead focusing on how to get her up the stairs safely. Thankfully one of the bouncers took notice and scooped Shenir over his shoulder. At the speed at which the two of them made it to the top, it wasn't his first time climbing the stairs with dead weight. The bouncer gave Ander directions to Shenir's room and headed back downstairs.

"She was one of the best people, though they weren't really people I met in the Feywild." Shenir continued as Ander led her down the hallway. "Did I tell you that originally, I was a slave over there? They caught me and sold me so I wouldn't be "Unclaimed". They don't like humans very much, only elves and fey. Eventually my owner kicked me out, I wasn't a very good slave"

"Surprised he didn't try to sell you." Ander started digging into Shenir's bag looking for the key to the very impressive lock on her door.

"Oh, he did, but I had a rep and no one wanted me. Decided to let the forest deal with me instead. I got lucky and came upon a small farmhouse."

"With a husband who took pity on you and a wife who hated you." Ander finally pulled out the key and opened the door.

"Well, first the wife only disliked me. She didn't hate me until after I'd started sleeping with her husband. I didn't have any money so I had to pay somehow." Ander pulled Shenir into the room. "I only stayed a week before I left. I wonder if I should tell him he has a daughter."

"I'm sure you're Patron has taken care of it." Ander said, depositing his girlfriend on the bed. Reaching under the bed, he pulled out a large brown cloth pack. When he opened the flap, there was a black void within the bag. Ander reached in and pulled out a small vial.

"Drink this," Ander held the vial up and handed it over before he replaced the bag, and added his own pack next to it. Shenir quickly downed the contents with a grimace.

"I should really know better than to try to match you." Shenir sighed and flopped back on the bed. Ander grinned and began taking off her shoes.

"We were having fun, it's been a while since we'd done a night out."

"And it's going to be a while till we can again." Shenir's voice was soft and for a while the only sound was of the two of them getting ready for bed.

"Ander, tell me why." The room was lit by a single candle on a small table next to the bed, throwing shadows over the very large bed. Shenir and Ander laid under the warm wool blanket together.

"Why what?" The Halfling asked, his back already turned to her as he tried to sleep.

"Why you want to leave and become an adventurer. It's dangerous."

Ander gave a soft chuckle. "Like working in a tower with ten wizard students isn't?"

"I'm serious, Ander. I'm all for being supportive in career and life, but a lot of people have died doing this. Why take the risk?"

Ander rolled over. "I don't want to be just another wizard. Training with my Master can only get me so far. I want to be strong, powerful, respected. I don't want to have to change for the world, I want the world to change for me. Call me selfish, but I want power." He reached out and removed Shenir's eyepatch, revealing a dark blue pupil-less eye that seemed to almost glimmer in its depths. "With enough power I can get the kind of life I want and deserve."

"Promise me, that in your search for power you won't lose your soul. I watched that happen back home, and I don't want that for you."

"That's why I'm not going alone. These people I'm joining up with, I'm pretty sure they'll keep me honest and in line. They're good people, and together I think we'll accomplish a lot." Ander kissed Shenir before turning back over. "We've got a lot to do tomorrow, so I need some sleep."

"Good night Ander." Shenir smiled softly to herself, reassured a bit more about the future. Quietly she sat up and leaned against the headboard. She retrieved her small satchel from the table next to her and removed her _Book of Shadows_ , a dark blue leather-bound book that was entrusted to her by her Patron. Blowing out the candle, she undid the clasp on her book and settled in for a night of study.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed seeing a different side of Ander! I have to say, Shenir is one of my favorite NPCs so I hope you'll all enjoy her as well! These two are back next week, and I'll go ahead and tell you now, they're going shopping!


	18. Excursions in Dayur

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 18** **– Excursions in Dayur**

The next morning Shenir woke Ander up just after dawn and bustled him down to the dance hall. Downstairs, windows had been uncovered and allowed the morning sun to bathe the room in light. Workers were buzzing around setting up tables of fresh fruit while the smell of hot cakes and various breakfast meats scented the room. A buffet had been assembled in the middle of the dance hall, a perk for those who had stayed overnight at 'The Gilded Rose'.

Waiting at the bottom of the stairs was a woman in her late forties sitting at a desk, her silver hair curled loosely around her head. A ledger sat open in front of her, while a small chest sat next to it. Her eyes lit up as she watched Shenir and Ander come down the stairs.

"Ah, finally you have company. Good for you." The woman gave a throaty laugh.

"Thank you Airina." Shenir returned the smile. Without stopping their stride, Shenir lightly tossed a small pouch onto the table while heading towards the food.

"No time for pleasantries?" Ander asked as he grabbed a plate.

"Airina doesn't do pleasantries," Shenir loaded her plate up with several slices of fruit while Ander went straight for the ham steak. "She's a business woman, and that's all she likes to talk about." They finished off their plates with hotcakes and syrup and settled themselves into one of the booths. Soon after a waitress came bustling by carrying a tray laden with several drink options.

"I was thinking that we could start our day off by exploring the markets." Shenir took a cup of tea off the tray while Ander reached for an ale. "Listen to some gossip, talk to the locals. Stuff like that."

"Sounds good, I have a couple of items I need to pick up anyway."

"Like what?"

"A diamond for one. I want to try out _Chromatic Orb_ , but you need more than just a Focus for it. Thanks by the way." Ander pointed to the crystal hanging around his neck.

"You're welcome, didn't want you to get stuck without components." Shenir methodically cut her hotcakes fully before she dug in. "I should tell you, it's on loan from the Circle, so you might want to get in touch with them."

"You gave me a loaner?" Ander gave a small chuckle.

"You were only supposed to be gone on that job, I wasn't expecting you to catch the adventuring bug."

"Fair point."

An hour later Jun and his blonde-haired companion from the night before shuffled down the stairs. Jun stopped and spoke with Airina, handing over a few coins before the two of them grabbed some food. Shenir called them over.

"Did you sleep well?" Shenir stacked her empty dishes with Ander's to make room for the two of them. Ander's head was bent down in study of his spells for the day.

"From what little we had, yes." The woman answered as she scooted in next to the Warlock. In the morning sun, the woman's skin was almost blindingly light. Her blonde hair hung loose around her shoulders, the tips of her slightly pointed ears peaking through.

"Shenir, this is Zhann. Zhann, this is Shenir and Ander." Jun flagged down the waitress and grabbed a couple of drinks.

"It's nice to meet you Zhann," Shenir shook the Half-Elf's hand before turning her attention to Jun. "Do you have any plans for today?"

"Zhann offered to show me around the city." Jun said as he tore off a piece of his ham steak. "Apparently there's a traveling music group in town and tonight's their final performance. She suggested we check it out. Do the two of you want to come with?"

"Sounds like fun, where's it at?"

"They've set up a concert stage just outside the city in an open field." Zhann explained, nibbling on her small assortment of fruit. "My friend says it's really quite the spectacle."

"Well then we certainly don't want to miss it." Shenir traded a bit more small talk with Zhann and Jun, and shortly after her and Ander left the dance hall.

"Is it normal to spend the day with a prostitute?" Ander asked once they were outside and heading down the street.

"From what I've seen while I've been here, no. Zhann is probably milking Jun for all she can while she's got him on the hook." Shenir pulled out a small hand drawn map from her larger pack. Both of them had brought their packs with them, though Ander had stashed his inside Shenir's. "This street should take us to a crossroads, where we then hang a left and go straight. If I'm reading this correctly."

It took the two of them the better part of an hour to reach their destination. The map's "go straight" was a little misleading as the street curved through the busiest sections of town and the two of them accidentally took a wrong turn. The wrong turn took them straight to the entrance of the Dwarven part of town.

Originally a large Dwarven mining town, the Dwarves of Dayur had begrudgingly joined the newly formed Council of Six after Marblebrooke's disastrous civil war over a 130 years ago. Since then the human faction has slowly formed a larger part of the city's population. The Dwarven population, still holding steady to their proud history, built a large wall around their original structures effectively separating the Dwarves from the humans.

It was at this wall that Shenir and Ander received new directions from the guards there. In no time at all the two of them found themselves at The Divided Market.

As the name suggests, The Divided Market is split between Dwarven merchants and Non-Dwarven merchants. Stretching on for over a mile, kiosks and vender stands dotted the walls in between storefronts. The Dwarves along the northern edge hocked their jewelry, weapons, tools, and ore-based wares while Blacksmiths competed for customers on the eastern end. The Southern edge sported a variety of non-Dwarven sellers peddling textiles, meat and vegetables, herbs, or anything else that could come out of the ground. Food vendors walked up and down calling out their wares, or sat and cooked their food in front of possible customers. The Market was a buzz of activity even at the early hours.

For the first hour, Shenir and Ander just traveled up and down the street taking in the sights. They stopped at one of the first jeweler stands they saw and Ander was able to buy his diamond without issue.

As the two of them were admiring a peddler's collection of rare books, a thin man came up behind them. He reached out with a bony hand and grasped Shenir's arm.

"Wha-?" Shenir started before the man's appearance made her shut up. He was painfully thin and gaunt, his hair thinning in patches, while his clothes hung baggy on him, and he was missing a shoe. His sunken eyes were desperate as he clung to her arm.

"Please, please give this to her." He rasped as he shoved a cloth-wrapped object into her hands. "Please, she needs to know."

"Who? Who needs to know?" Shenir questioned. Before he could answer, his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed at her feet. Ander knelt down and checked for a pulse, to no avail. Behind them the vendor called for the PeaceKeepers.

Taking Ander's hand, Shenir took off down the street, the cloth-wrapped object still in her hand. The two of them ducked into what appeared a junk shop, heading directly for the farthest corner out of sight from the entrance.

"Why did you do that?" Ander asked as he watched Shenir uncover the object.

"I wanted to see what this was before the PeaceKeepers inevitably took it away." Bundled inside the cloth, was a small leather-bound book only about three inches in height and length. Burned into the black cover was what appeared to be a Coat of Arms. The top corners curved upwards like two devil horns, while the bottom slowly came a point. In the middle was a paper lantern with a stripe on either side.

"Is that the crest of Hitoshi Ijichi?" Ander asked as he looked up at the cover while Shenir skimmed the inside.

"Yeah, it looks like this whole book is about him." She flipped through the pages quickly. "At least it looks like the guy wasn't narcissistic enough to write about himself."

"He could have commissioned it done. We're talking about a guy who made his own Coat of Arms. Anything interesting?"

"Not really, I mean, it talks about him betraying his Lord and fleeing from the Nydag Empire, and then swearing fealty to the royal family of Marblebrooke. He stayed on the side of the royals for the entirety of the civil war, and then afterwards worked to smuggle the last remaining royal family members out of the defunct kingdom. All of that is basic knowledge though if you take the time to study your history."

"Does it say how he got his nickname? 'The Faithless Samurai'?" Ander was intrigued. He knew that the name of Hitoshi Ijichi was basically synomous with misplaced trust and blind loyalty in some circles, but he also knew that the Council of Six had spent a lot of energy disgracing his name.

"No, but this is strange," Shenir knelt down so that Ander could see that the last few pages had been torn out. All that was left was what seemed to be a chapter title: "Escape to Skonia".

"That doesn't make any sense," Ander said slowly as he stared at the word. "Skonia didn't exist at that time."

"What do you mean? I'm afraid my knowledge of Skonia is lacking."

"After the Skonians were pushed out of their homelands, the couple hundred of them who were left tried to settle down in the Northern Plains of the Kingdom of Pryria."

"Tried?"

"Yeah, they barely lasted ten years. Try as hard as they might, they couldn't grow ample food enough, and the whole region experienced a sudden drought. Bad luck seemed to follow them, and it made the Kingdom and newly formed Sylph Heart Circle extremely uneasy to have them so close. Finally, with their numbers just slightly over fifty, they left the continent on a boat supplied by Pryria. As a final "fuck you", they got caught in a storm that sunk them."

"Maybe the book's talking about the original Kingdom of Skonia." Shenir suggested, but Ander shook his head.

"The Great Calamity tore the very ground apart. You know that chasm that separates Pryria from Marblebrooke?" Shenir nodded. "The area of the chasm just past the Silver Rise Mountains is what used to be Skonia. The only part that's left is now called the Realm of Nightmares by The Tribe. If Hitoshi went anywhere near there, then that's where his story ended." Ander closed the book.

"There has to be more to this book, a man died trying to get it someone." Shenir started to examine the book closely. Ander took a step back, then grasped the crystal around his neck. With a wave of his hand and a few words he cast _Detect Magic_.

"It's not magical." Ander informed her before he turned his attention to the wares around him. The first impression of a junk shop seemed to be correct, though most of the junk seemed to be dented armor, broken weapons, or ugly vases. The proprietor of the shop was nowhere to be seen, and nothing really caught his eye, until he came across a small buckler half-hidden in a box in a corner of the store.

As he lifted the wooden buckler, he immediately noticed that it seemed to have been crafted for someone his size. His eyes wandered over the elaborate carved designs that even to his untrained eyes seemed to be the work of a skilled craftsmen. The magic found by the _Detect Magic_ spell though didn't seem to radiate from the buckler, but from within it. Turning it over, he discovered a slight tear of the leather backing. Peeling it away, a thin leather-bound book tumbled to the ground.

Replacing the buckler to its box, Ander reached down and picked up the new book. It was a small black book with a rounded cover. Opening it, he saw that not only was it thin, but it only held two pages within. The first page was blank, while the second page consisted of a single sentence.

"'Release Shirrba the Wish Giver'." Ander read aloud. As the words left his lips, the book began to glow. A ball of light lifted out of the book, becoming larger as it lifts up. Once it was three inches off the surface of the page, it gave off a single blinding flash, so bright that it forced Ander to close his eyes for fear of going blind.

The first thing that hit him, was the smell. The smell of unwashed livestock. There was a grunt above him as a blast of hot air rained down. Opening his eyes, he first saw the very large cloven feet. As his eyes traveled up the heavily muscular body covered in a dark brown fur, his fear grew. From the hooves to the tips of its sharp horns, stood an easily seven foot tall Minotaur. Wearing some sort of loosely wrapped garments around its midsection, its broad chest stuck out. Hanging loosely in its hand at its side, was a very large greataxe that still held traces of blood on its edge.

"Shenir, run!" Ander yelled as he traded the tome for his newly purchased diamond from his pack, getting it ready for whatever happened next. He wasn't sure yet if the Minotaur was friend or foe, but he didn't want to chance it.

As she blinked back spots from the light, Shenir stowed the biography in her bag as she quickly ran up the aisle, behind Ander, and towards the door. The shop was small, but crowded. If they had to fight here, it wouldn't do any good. Looking back, Shenir saw the so-far motionless Minotaur begin to stir. The red eyes of the monstrosity opened, and the look they held was not one of peace.

Throwing her hand out, Shenir let loose a bright green _Eldritch Blast_ above Ander's head, hoping to give Ander time to run.

The blast had the opposite effect though, as the pain from the attack woke the Minotaur up fully, and his eyes found the Halfling at his feet first.

The Minotaur threw back his head and let out a loud guttural roar.

The Minotaur's roar shook Ander to his very core, and he let loose his spell. A beam of cold energy spewed out from the _Chromatic Orb_. Unfortunately timing was not on his side as the Minotaur suddenly knelt, dodging the beam, and brought his clenched fist towards the Wizard. Flinging himself to the ground, Ander was barely able to dodge out of the way.

He desperately crawled back and onto his feet, hearing the crunch of the greataxe as it dug into the floor behind him. Turning back to face the creature, Ander began the incantation as he carefully but quickly did the accompanying gestures. He felt the fire build up in his fist, and with a shout Ander unleased _Aganazzar's Scorcher_. The line of flame stretched up and washed over the Minotaur.

The smell of burnt fur filled the air, accompanied with the smell of burning wood. The imposing figure of the Minotaur grew even more imposing as flames began to lick up the walls of the shop.

As Shenir ran out the threshold the shop, throwing a blind _Eldritch Blast_ behind her, her escape came to a halt as she ran into a figure and they were both thrown to the ground.

The armored individual was helped to her feet by an equally armored companion. Looking up, Shenir saw first their longswords, and then the insignia's branded into the front of their armor. One was wearing a leather cap, while the other had her brown hair braided and stacked on her head. These two women were PeaceKeepers.

"There's a Minotaur!" Shenir told them as she pointed inside. The three of them turned and looked inside, just in time to see the Minotaur charge at the small body of Ander. The Minotaur's horn tore into the side of Ander's stomach, and the force of the blow propelled the Wizard out the door, landing with a heavy thud at the PeaceKeeper's feet.

With blood dripping from its horn, the Minotaur moved and stood framed by the doorway as he looked out at his newest victims.

Ander groaned in pain, still conscious. Shenir gathered him in her arms and moved him out of the way, hiding him and her just beyond a corner in the building's wall. She dug a healing potion out of her pack. Her hands were shaking as she tried to uncork it.

Around her the shoppers had taken notice of the Minotaur as it stepped out into the street. Screams filled the air, while two more PeaceKeepers came out of store across the street and immediately ran towards their compatriots. They screamed at the pedestrians to get clear, and to get help.

"We need to get out of here, let the PeaceKeepers deal with this monster." Shenir finally got the vial uncorked and handed it to Ander who chugged it. The wound on his side closed up and stopped bleeding, but he could still feel the pain throbbing from it.

"You go, fighting these kinds of creatures is my job now. I can't just run away." Ander stood up, wincing. He stepped out from the corner, and cast _Witch Bolt_ at the Minotaur. Like a whip, a stream of lightning energy now connected Ander and the Minotaur. He wasted no time in sending the first of the lightning surges at the Minotaur, who gave its first grunt of pain.

Both of the female guards attacked the Minotaur, their attacks blocked by the greataxe it held. Their backup, two men in similar armor; one with blond hair and the other bald, were still trying to reach the action. Their way was blocked by a cart, its owner trying desperately to calm its steed enough to move out of the area.

Shenir came up behind Ander, leaned down, and kissed his cheek. "This may be your job, but it's not mine. Be safe." With a final squeeze to his shoulder, she stood up and took off down the street. Her feet lit up as she cast _Expeditious Retreat_ and she was soon out of sight.

The Minotaur brought his greataxe up above his head, and brought it down on the capped woman's shoulder. With a horrible squelching sound and a gush of blood, the greataxe cleaved her left arm off. The woman howled in pain, which was cut short as she crumbled to the ground.

As he let loose another surge of lightning, Ander moved away from the wall that was starting to smoke. Black smoke now billowed out of the building as the fire lapped at everything in its way.

Finally the two guards joined their comrades, the bald one facing the Minotaur, while the blond-haired pulled their fallen comrade out of the fray. Their retreat was covered by their compatriots.

"This is for Lydia!" The brown-haired woman yelled as she attacked the Minotaur, succeeding in slashing a deep line across his burnt chest. The bald guard tried to get a strike in, but couldn't pierce the Minotaur's skin.

With a heavy snort, the Minotaur readjusted his grip on his weapon, before he swung it like a bat towards the woman who'd hurt him. The blow connected with an almost concussive force as it smacked into her ribcage. She was thrown sideways into the open doorway of the burning shop, unmoving.

Standing merely twenty feet away, Ander's feet felt like lead. He clutched his spell like a lifeline. His eyes met the brown-haired PeaceKeeper's, who had been furiously pressing a piece of cloth he'd taken off a vendor cart to the now-stumped shoulder of his comrade.

"I can't get her!" Ander yelled, pointing at the woman in the doorway. He sent another surge of lightning, once again illicting a grunt of pain from the Minotaur. By now the Minotaur was visibly hurt. It was obvious to everyone, that the only one doing any real damage to the creature was Ander.

"We got her, you keep that spell up!" The PeaceKeeper got his feet, and quickly surveyed the scene. The fastest way to get to the doorway, was to move past the Minotaur. The way around was blocked by vendor carts, and going any other way would take too long. Already flames were licking the floor around her.

He waited until his bald-headed coworker had lashed out with another strike before dashing forward.

The Minotaur, never one to miss an opportunity, didn't try to block the bald-one's strike as it reared back its greataxe. Just as the guard tried to pass, he let the greataxe swing out and in one motion the brown-haired PeaceKeeper no longer had a head. As the headless body landed with a thud, the Minotaur curved the greataxe around with the same momentum and eviscerated the final PeaceKeeper.

A painful surge of lightning reminded the Minotaur that he wasn't alone yet. He turned to face the wizard.

As their eyes met, Ander felt a fear like he'd never felt before crest to a crescendo in his chest. Over the past few weeks he'd felt fear many times. He was afraid the first time he'd left home with Jun. Fighting against the bandits, the kenku, owlbears, and the Cube. He'd even been afraid as he'd sat in the stands and watched Jun fight against the Barbarians. He knew what fear was.

All those times though, he hadn't been alone. Jun and the other members of their almost official party had been there. He knew that he wasn't fighting alone, he knew there was hope, no matter how small.

Now however, was different. As the Minotaur moved closer to him, the horns moving into position for an attack he'd already become familiar with, he strained his mind for a spell, a plan.

He didn't have anything. He was locked by the _Witch Bolt_. As long as _Witch Bolt_ was up he couldn't concentrate on another spell, and quite frankly he was afraid to let go of the guaranteed damage the lightning tether afforded. Holding on to the spell though, meant that he couldn't run. The mystical tether was only thirty feet long, any more than that and the connection broke.

Of course, looking at the powerful equine legs of the Minotaur, he knew his little Halfling legs didn't have a chance in hell of outrunning it.

As the Minotaur began his charge towards Ander, Ander closed his eyes. If this was the end, he didn't want to see it. He was happy that Shenir had gotten away.

As he waited for the searing pain of the horns rushing into his skin, he wished for a miracle.

What he got, was a roar, followed by a grunt.

A second passed, and Ander realized that none of those noises had come from him.

Opening his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of the Minotaur sprawled out on the ground in front of him. Already it was trying to get up.

Jumping back, Ander unleashed another surge of lightning. He watched as the Minotaur tensed from the force of the lightning. As the surge ended, the Minotaur just lied there. Ander let loose the final surge, rejoicing inside as the Minotaur made no move as the force coursed through it.

With the tether vanished, Ander combed through his hair with shaking hands. Nervous laughter escaped his lips as he began to look around. His eyes landed on the brown-haired PeaceKeeper who was slowly crawling away from the burning building, her image black with soot. Ander ran over and helped her move farther away.

With the sound of his own heartbeat beginning to slow down, Ander became aware of the sound of claxons getting louder.

Coming down the cobblestone street were several carts and PeaceKeepers. Coming down the opposite way was a contingent of Dwarven guards and their own cart. Each group had a claxon built on a cart.

As the two groups tried to protect the other buildings from the burning Junk Shop (the Dwarves leaving it to the human PeaceKeepers upon seeing it wasn't on the Dwarven side of the market), medics came up to Ander and Giselle, the only survivors of the battle.

Ten minutes into the fire-fighting, a figure wearing blue robes, their hood up over their head and face, made their way through the crowd of PeaceKeepers. Upon seeing the Sylph Heart Circle's symbol emblazoned on the amulet around their neck, the guards were quick to get out of the figure's way.

The robed figure pulled out a dark wooden wand. Pointing it above the burning structure, the figure said an incantation and a streak of light blue energy shot into the sky. Immediately dark clouds sprang to life as the temperature around the area suddenly plummeted. Freezing rain and sleet began to fall to the ground, and within minutes the once flaming structure went dark.

The robed figure made their way over towards Ander, who was sitting on a cart, his side in the process of being bandaged by a PeaceKeeper medic.

Pulling down their hood, the woman smiled sweetly, paying no mind to the rain that now rained down upon her. Her emerald green hair hung down in rivulets on either side of her narrow face. Long pointed ears stuck out through her hair. Her purple eyes fixed onto the Halfling as she spoke.

"Hello Mr. Tealeaf, I've been looking everywhere for you. You have a visitor waiting at the Chapter House."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: How'd you guys like that! A note on the fight, the Minotaur scored two natural 20's in a row. First on the attack of opportunity as the guard ran past, and then his turn against the last guard, which was next in the initiative order. That final attack against Ander, could have been so much worse. That last 'Gore' attack was Reckless, giving him advantage and all he needed to roll was a 7 or higher to end Ander. He rolled a 5 and a 6. All the Minotaur had left were two hit points. It was an awesome moment. Til next time!
> 
> Also, Special Thanks to those mentioned below. There are so many great resources out there to help with quick encounters or story ideas, and these are two I utilized in this chapter. I highly recommend checking them out.
> 
> Kelly, James Floyd. 2015. "The Curious Tome." In Fifth Edition Fantasy #7: Fantastic Encounters, by Goodman Games, 18-19.
> 
> Winegar, Michael J. n.d. "Character Focused Random Events for the City." .


	19. Visitors

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 19 - Visitors  
**

The trek back to the Chapter House was not, unfortunately, blissfully silent. As it turned out, the mysterious cloaked figure was a chatterbox. From the moment she first opened her mouth, Ander had rarely seen it closed.

"I tell you what, it never fails that as soon as you've got your tea nice and hot here comes someone wanting you. In this case it was a little boy we have at the Chapter House. His name is Michel and he's seven. Blond hair and green eyes, oh he's just the cutest. His dad runs the front desk, you've met him. Anyway, Michel comes to get me, says his dad has a mission for me. Isn't that cute, he calls everything 'missions'. We tried to get him to call them 'errands', but it didn't stick.

"So I go to the front desk, and there's this man just standing there. Pretty good looking, in my humble opinion. So, Iason, the guy at the front desk, tells me to go down the street and fetch you. Said the good-looking man was looking for you.

"So I head down to the Inn, and they tell me that no one named 'Ander Tealeaf' registered. Of course they sent me across the street, and sure enough, once I walked in and yelled out your name this big guy stood up and said I'd just missed you. He offered to help me look for you, but I turned him down. Iason hadn't said how quick this 'mission' needed to be and it was still pretty early." The woman paused a moment to take a breath. Her and Ander, along with a couple of Guards that the PeaceKeeper Captain had insisted come with, were headed back to the Chapter House.

"So, I spent all morning hitting the main tourist spots in town. I hit Believer's Fountain, GlassBlower Lane, until finally I hit the Divided Market. I'd barely walked in before this woman with an eyepatch came right up to me. She's all, 'You're with the Circle, right? There's a Minotaur up there! Ander needs help!', and a lot more. Thanks to my training, I knew just what to do.

"I grabbed her hand and pulled with me while we went straight to the PeaceKeepers post. We get there, and they're already scrambling, something about a dead body, screaming people, and fire. Eyepatch girl said 'Minotaur', but it didn't calm them down. I sent her back up to the Chapter House, then followed the cart and found you."

"So Shenir is alright?" Ander asked as the girl took a breath.

"If she's Eyepatch Girl, then yeah she's fine." The woman waved off the question. "So, we should probably wait till we get back to the Chapter House, but where'd the Minotaur come from? Last I checked, Minotaur's weren't on the list of approved creatures for transport through Dayur."

"They're not," One of the guards said from behind the two spellcasters. "As you said, we should hold off this conversation until we get back to the Chapter House."

"Fine, then what do you want to talk about? We've got about ten or so minutes left till we arrive." The woman sent a questioning glance at the Guard, neither of whom seemed amused.

"Do you ever shut up?" The same guard questioned, and the woman grinned like a challenge had been issued.

"You sound just like my last boyfriend. All he wanted was for me to be quiet and demure like the other girls he'd dated. I told him to shove it, and he could either learn to live with it, or he could leave."

"Let me guess, he left." The guard's tone seemed to suggest that he wasn't surprised.

"Yeah, but he came back four years later and asked me to marry him. Turned out that quiet and demure wasn't his type after all. He's the cook at the Chapter House now, makes the best vegetarian stew you've ever had. Of course, only Circle members are permitted to eat at the Chapter House, so I guess you'll just have to miss out." The guards exchanged mumbled grumbles but didn't say anything else.

To fill the air, the woman started pointing out various shops along the street and spreading the local gossip along to Ander. Apparently there was quite a passive aggressive feud going on between a few weaver stores involving a phallic shaped stone.

Finally the small group reached the Chapter House and they all walked inside. Waiting inside was Iason behind the counter and Shenir, pacing nervously from one side of the small reception area to the other.

Before Ander could say anything, Shenir had already knelt down and enveloped him in a tight hug.

"You're alive, thank Jozion!" Shenir began to cry in relief as she let go and kissed her Halfling. "I was so afraid."

"I won't lie to you, it was close." Ander grabbed a small cloth from his pocket and wiped her face.

"You'll need to complete a full incident report for the Circle." Iason stated as he stepped out from behind the desk. Looking at the guards, he continued. "We'll be sure to send a copy to the PeaceKeepers as well. You can go now."

"We were told to stay with the Halfling, as he's a suspect in the investigation."

"He took down the Minotaur, you should be thanking him!" The Elven chatterbox said.

"Witnesses say that there wasn't a Minotuar until him and this woman," the guard gestured at Shenir, "Entered the shop. Either way, we have our orders."

"Might I remind you, that the PeaceKeepers authority ended at the door. This is property of the Sylph Heart Circle, and we handle all matters in-house. I assure you that we will be doing our own investigation. Go back and tell your Captain, that we'll send him a copy of our report as a courtesy." Iason stared down the Guards. "Stay any longer, and you will be trespassing."

The guards both glared at the middle-aged man, before clicking their heels and leaving the room. One of them stayed and took up a position next to the door outside, while the other headed off down the street.

Iason wordlessly closed the door.

"Follow me, and don't say a word." Iason said to the three still in the room. The four of them walked towards the door behind the counter. Digging into their packs, both Ander and Shenir took out small round medallions that were similar in size to the one hanging around the Elven woman's neck. Iason removed his own medallion from under his shirt. As they each passed through the door, the medallions gave off a pulse of green light.

On the other side of the doorway, was a nicely appointed lounging area. A large fireplace was situated on the far wall, chairs and couches littered about the area. Various rugs were strewn about the room, each with different designs and colors. The walls were lined with bookshelves. A staircase led the way to the upper floor, while three other doors, two on the right-hand wall and one on the left-hand offered other presumable rooms. The room was windowless. Silver and gold candelabra's walked around the space on their own, bringing light to every corner. As they walked in, a silver tarnished candelabra came over and flitted around them.

"Thank you for finding Mr. Tealeaf Stellea, will you please go and inform his guest of the situation?" Iason pointed towards the left-hand door. Stellea nodded and left.

"Now," Iason led the way over to the fireplace. "What the hell happened?"

Iason settled himself into an armchair, while Shenir and Ander sat down in a love seat. The two of them took turns telling the whole story, bringing out the two offending books and handing them over. While they spoke, Stellea came back in with the newcomer. She didn't stay long as she scampered out one of the other doors.

"You say this tome was already in the store?" Iason's hand glowed as he examined the book. "I've never seen this, what about you?"

Iason handed the book over to the newcomer who had settled himself on the arm of a nearby chaise. Taking the book, he performed the same action before giving a grin.

"I've never seen one, but I've heard of these." The newcomer was a middle-aged Half-Elf with white hair pulled back in a half braid. The unbraided part just lightly kissed his shoulders. He was wearing a tailored dark blue robe with silver trimmings. "It's called a _Tome of Entrapment_. They're mostly used for security. The idea is that when you leave it open on a table, a gullible thief comes along, reads the words, releases whatever's trapped inside, and learns not to steal."

"Or to not read something aloud that's radiating magic." Iason said as he looked over at Ander.

"Oh don't blame him, part of the magic is that it compels the reader to read it aloud." The Half-Elf handed the book back over to Iason. "It should be easy to pin the whole situation on the shopkeeper. After all, it is a magical item that was hidden inside a dirty buckler. I'd mention smuggling and leave it to the PeaceKeepers to take it from there."

Iason nodded in agreement. "Where was the shopkeeper while all of this was going on?"

"No idea, we never saw them. The shop was empty when we ducked in." Shenir explained. "Anything on the biography?"

"It's as Ander said, there is no magic radiating off of it, but the reference to Skonia certainly merits a further look." Iason leaned back in the chair as he thought. "It might be prudent to send the book to Pryria, get some more advanced magic done on it. The Circle has a special interest in all things Skonia after all."

"I'm headed back to Pryria at the end of the week, I have no problem taking it if you want." The Half-Elf offered.

"I'd be most grateful of that Relnesh." Iason stood up and tucked both books under his arm. "I'll go start on the report. Ms. Allandra I'd like you to accompany me and help me. Mr. Tealeaf, after you and Relnesh are finished please join us." With that Iason led Shenir through the door on the left.

Silence permeated the air between the two occupants. Finally Relnesh sighed and let himself fall back into the cushions of the chaise lounge.

"First rule of being an adventurer, if at all possible stay away from the local authorities. They are nothing but a headache." Relnesh suddenly gave a small chuckle to himself. "Though, breaking comrades out of prison can be quite fun."

"Why did you want to speak to me? You're not who I was expecting." Ander moved so that he was sitting on the edge of the cushion. If this was who he thought it was, it was better not to get too comfortable.

"You thought I was Ekiyoh, yeah sorry about that." The man swung his legs around and sat up. "Name's Relnesh Racksec, and I came to talk to you about that report you sent in."

"The one on the Dwarven Settlement? Why?"

"Technically, the place is called Vorgron, but don't beat yourself up about it. It took a lot of work to erase that name from practically everywhere so that one's not on you." Relnesh leaned back. "As for how I know about the report, your Master gave it to me to read. You and your friends were pretty thorough down there, good job."

Ander was still processing as he listened to the Half-Elf in front of him. "Before we continue, tell me something. Are you Relnesh, the adventurer? Part of Scarlet Thunder?"

"Ah, you've heard of us. I take it your Master told you."

Ander nodded. "He did, but I've also seen your work up close." Ander hopped off the loveseat. "I'm not telling you anything that isn't in the report."

"Fair enough, but there is one thing you didn't go in to detail about. The journal, the one that was written by the evil Cleric."

"What about it?"

"Why didn't you send it in along with the report?" Relnesh had sat up once again, his face stern as he faced down the Halfling.

"Lia had plans to send it to her organization the Elder Door Sanctum. We were both there on missions, and hers seemed to be more relevant." Ander was more than a little creeped out by the sudden harshness of Relnesh's eyes. More than anything, he did not want to be alone with this man. "Talk to the Sanctum if you want the book."

"I highly doubt that we'll ever see that book again." Relnesh stood up. "Do yourself a favor, and stay away from the Sanctum. In fact, you should just go back to Pryria. Last thing this world needs is another green adventuring group. Leave it to the professionals."

"Last I heard the professionals were dying out. Scarlet Thunder isn't as powerful as it used to be." Ander's heart was beating loudly in his chest.

Relnesh smirked as he walked closer to Ander. Leaning over till he was eye level with the Halfling, his eyes narrowed. "Ask yourself this, are they dying out, or being culled?" With that he straightened up and walked out the main door without another word.

Ander leaned back against the love seat, using it to keep him standing as his legs gently shook. He thought back to when he'd first joined the Circle, twenty-five years ago. Scarlet Thunder was in its heyday. They were practically the only group out in the field. Treasures and artifacts that were only myths came out into the light because of them. Everyone wanted the Scarlet Thunder working for them, everyone.

As time passed, it became very noticeable that artifacts that should belong with the Circle were instead showing up in the hands of private collectors. Reports started to trickle in of Scarlet Thunder working as mercenaries to anyone with coin. Once, ten years ago, Ander, his Master, and two other apprentices were sent by the Circle to investigate one of these claims. They'd traveled across into Marblebrooke, sent to a small village about three days out from Esterwill. According to the report, the village was full of Tieflings that were being forced off their lands. Ander's Master had been sent solely to determine whether the Scarlet Thunder were involved, not to get involved in territorial disputes.

When they reached the village, there wasn't any danger of disputes. The entire village was dead, and all the bodies had been piled up and set ablaze. The pyre was still burning as they approached, with Relnesh and three of his compatriots tending to it. They'd claimed that the villagers had attacked them; self-defense. Ander's Master had turned and left without another word.

When they returned to Pryria they reported that the Scarlet Thunder was involved, they reported what they'd seen, but that was all they had. The Circle depended on Scarlet Thunder, and Ander's Master knew it. They stuck to the facts, unable to do anything. Whatever Scarlet Thunder wanted, they got.

Ander had only broached the subject with his Master once after that, and his Master had told him in no uncertain terms, to never get involved with Scarlet Thunder. Run and go as far away as you can.

Ander shook his head to clear his mind of that burning pyre. He had an uneasy feeling that his Master's wishes were becoming more and more relevant. He was in desperate need of a distraction now, and paperwork was perfect.

He spent the rest of the afternoon inside the small office with Shenir and Ianos, making painstakingly sure that the report was full and complete. At the end, Ianos gave the _Tome of Entrapment_ back to Ander.

As dusk began to set in, the two of them met up with Zhann and Jun, and the four of them headed to the edge of town. It only took about twenty minutes for them to find the outdoor stage. Already a large crowd had amassed around that stage. On the opposite side of the field a makeshift bar had been set up with multiple casks. PeaceKeepers in full uniform patrolled the perimeter.

The four of them passed through a booth, a yellow ribbon being tied around their wrists to show that they'd paid. It cost them fifteen silver apiece, but they paid extra for the open bar. Jun paid for Zhann.

A few minutes after they'd arrived and gotten mugs of ale, the band started to take the stage. There were five of them in total. Two of them played lutes, one had a drum set up, and one of them held a flute in their hands. The four of them were dressed in varying bright colors, but they obviously weren't the star.

The drummer, a large Half-Orc, banged his sticks together, getting everyone's attention and quieting the crowd. The two lute players, one male and one female, took up positions on either side of the drummer. The flute player, a female gnome, climbed up onto a small platform that was about ten feet above the stage. Candleabras, like the ones from the Chapter House, lined the stage in a u-shape shedding light for the performance.

Just as the gnome raised her flute, a strong gust of wind rushed through the clearing. Every light was extinguished and only the dim light of the moon shined above. Flute music began to sing out, a soft mournful melody. A quartet of bright little balls of green light materialized out of the darkness and began to dance around her. The flutist started to dance with the balls of light, before the spheres winked out suddenly. The melody turned even more somber, the lutes began to pick it up as well, twisting it slightly as the darkness held on. Behind them, the drums started, almost like a dying heartbeat.

Just as the somber tone became too much, the sound of a violin came out of the darkness. The mood began to lift as the violin became more and more pronounced. One by one the candelabras on stage began to light. As the final one lit, the music stopped. The stage was silent.

Suddenly there was a flash of light, and standing there was a woman with dark blonde hair. She wore a blood red corset with white puffy sleeves. The top part of her thigh was surrounded by a black mini skirt, with a tail of red and black fabric trailing out behind her. Her eyes had been outlined in dark red eye make-up, while her lips were pitch black. A silver choker adorned her neck, while silver rings were stacked up her slightly pointed ears. In her hands was a beautiful cherry wood violin.

She lifted the violin, and began to play. The sound was one of hope, and one by one the other instruments joined in until they had a beautiful melody that filled everyone's hearts with joy.

The rest of the concert was a mix of story and fun. Now that its star was there, everything was cheerful and bright. She didn't just play the violin the whole time, she was quite the singer as well. She narrated stories of bravery and triumph, accompanied by wooden dolls that played out the story on stage. She brought new takes on familiar bar favorites, inviting the audience to join in and dance.

There was no doubt, that she was a Bard of a very high caliber.

During one of the songs, Jun and Ander found themselves alone. Zhann and Shenir were busy dancing with a group of children, enormous smiles plastered on both their faces.

"I heard about what happened today." Jun said, not looking down.

"I was going to tell you, tomorrow." Ander admitted as he looked down into his ale mug. "I really wished you were there."

"The way I heard it, you had it handled."

"Oh, is that what they're saying. Three people died. I'm not even sure how I survived."

"It tripped." Jun said, and it took Ander a moment to process.

"It tripped?" He repeated, looking up at the Barbarian who was still focused on the scene in front of him.

"The guard who survived saw it happen. It tripped on the cobblestone as it was charging."

Ander gave a small chuckle. "So I survived due to its clumsiness. That's kind of pathetic in a way."

"No, just lucky." Jun crouched down and finally turned to look at Ander. "I'm proud of you."

Ander snorted. "Don't be. You want to know what was going through my head? 'Let it kill these guards before it gets to me'. I'm not like you. You put your life on the line to save a complete stranger, while I used them as meat shields."

"Did any civilians get hurt?"

"No, they'd cleared out."

"Why didn't you run? All the stories say that Shenir ran for it, but you stayed behind, why?"

"I had the _Witch Bolt_ attached, I couldn't run."

"According to the guard, you had the opportunity to run and you didn't."

"You talked to her?"

"I had a free afternoon. Now, why did you cast a spell that would tie you there? I've seen you do other spells that don't literally connect you to the target. Why the _Witch Bolt_?"

"It had worked on the Owlbear, I guessed it would work best on the Minotaur. The guards were there so I knew I had a distraction."

"So it's less you used them as cannon fodder, and more as a tool to take down a threat."

"People still died!"

"Ander, you can't save everyone." Jun reached out and placed a hand on Ander's head. "They were soldiers, they knew what they were getting into the moment they ran into that situation. They did their duty, they got the civilians out of the way, and then faced the threat. They were trained to back up the people who can hit the hardest and get the job done fast. It's not the role of a magic-user to be front and center. You are squishy and need to be in the back."

The Halfling shrugged off the hand. "What I need are better and more powerful spells."

"Then we'll get them, and the next time we face a Minotaur, you'll take it down in one hit." The two of them shared a fist bump. "In the meantime, stay behind me."

As Jun stood back up and went to go join Zhann and the kids, Ander sighed in relief. Then he wondered why he'd sighed. He didn't realize, but maybe he'd been feeling a little guilty about what had happened that morning. He took a moment to take in the sight of Jun with two children clinging to his arms as he lifted them up. Maybe he needed Jun around for more than just his strength.

All too soon the night ended. The couples brought their energy from the concert back to 'The Gilded Rose' and woke up feeling refreshed.

Shenir was gone when Ander woke up. She left a note saying she'd meet him for lunch at 'The Gleaming Rose' across the street. The Halfling spent a lazy morning studying his spells and enjoying a morning bath.

Around noon, he walked into 'The Gleaming Rose' and found Shenir and Jun already seated at a table.

"No Zhann today?" Ander asked as he took a seat next to Shenir.

"She had another client." He said. "Hope you don't mind, but we went ahead and ordered for you."

Ander shrugged. "As long as it's edible I'm good." He turned to face Shenir. "So, where did you go this morning?"

"I went shopping." Shenir smiled, bent over, and pulled a chain mail shirt out of her pack. "I paid a pretty gold piece for this, so you better appreciate it."

"It's beautiful, but I can't wear it. I've never trained in armor before." Ander explained as he ran his hands over the finely linked chains. It was so delicately made, that it was almost a work of art.

"It's Elven Chain, so don't worry." A new voice said at the table next to them. Its owner was dark red-headed, brown skinned Elf. He was currently hunched over a bowl, a pack at his feet, and a sword at his waist.

"I agree that Elves make nice armor, but I still haven't had any training in it. There is a real possibility of my spell casting going awry if I wear it." Ander explained.

"No, he's right Ander." Shenir said with a grin. "It's been enchanted so that it won't be in your way. When you wear it, it'll be as if you're proficient in its use."

"Seriously?" Ander looked back at the chainmail shirt, a shirt that seemed to have been made for a human. "It's still way too big though."

"Aren't you a magic user?" The Elf next to them said with a shake of his hand. "Trust me, it'll shrink to size once you wear it."

"Thanks for the advice," Jun leaned over and stuck out his hand. "Name's Jun."

The Elf wiped his hand on his pants before shaking Jun's. "Ekiyoh."

Ander's ears perked up. "Is that your name, or some kind of Elven greeting?"

"My name."

"You're with the Recovery Department!" Ander exclaimed. "I'm Ander Tealeaf, it's an honor to meet you!" Ander reached out his hand and vigorously shook the Elf's hand.

The Elf looked the Halfling up and down for a moment before turning his attention to Jun and Shenir and doing the same.

"Have to say, you are not what I was expecting." He grabbed his bowl and moved to join them at their table.

"What's the verdict? Have we been approved?" Jun asked.

"Yep," Ekiyoh went back to eating his potato stew. A waitress arrived then with three plates of sausage pastries for the rest of the table.

"That's all we get, a 'Yep'?" Ander visibly deflated in his seat.

"If you'll let me finish my stew, I'll dig out your papers." Ekiyoh grinned.

"So when you'd arrive in town?" Jun asked as he picked up his pastry and took a big bite. Steam rose out of the inside.

"About an hour ago. Stopped here for food before checking in at the Chapter House."

"Too bad you weren't here last night. A Bard and her troupe gave a great performance. They pulled out of town this morning."

"I know, I waited till they'd left before coming into town."

"Why?" Shenir asked, her eyebrow raised.

"The less I have to deal with the Racksec's the better." Ekiyoh grumbled.

"Wait, are you talking about Relnesh Racksec?" Ander asked, his delicious pastry suddenly losing all flavor.

"Yep, and that Bard you guys mentioned is his wife, Sagen Racksec. The two of them head up Scarlet Thunder."

"She's a part of Scarlet Thunder, damn. What's she doing touring?" Jun shook his head. He'd heard plenty of stories about the group, and had had the displeasure of working with them, once.

"She's finishing up a contract so she can be done with a certain individual." Ekiyoh told them before he picked up his bowl and downed the last of his meal. Licking his lips, he reached into his bag and brought out a canvas wrapped package.

"This holds Identification papers for all the individuals you named, a printed coin for each of you that can also act as ID, a small list of potential sites you can check out to get you started, and a _Sending Stone_." Ekiyoh explained as he passed the package over. "Your Master has the other _Stone_ in his possession. Do you know how they work?"

"Hold the _Stone_ , cast the spell, a short message gets sent to the person with the other _Stone_." Ander was giddy with excitement.

"Correct. The _Stone_ is only for emergencies so don't go using it willy-nilly. Now, as the Circle representative you do have an additional job. Part of your duties will be to write a report on your activities once a month and send it back to the Recovery Department. Even if you do nothing but visit brothels and get drunk, send it to us. It's a way for us to track you. Don't make me have to come after your ass. For the first month, we are requiring that you let us know next of kin for all members in case death notifications are needing to be made."

"That's going to take a little bit of time actually." Jun interjected. "We're not due to meet up with the rest of our group for another two months."

"Explain it in the report and sent the information when you can then. Any questions?"

"Not right now." Ander said distractedly as he opened the package and began rifling through the papers.

"Then I will take my leave." Ekiyoh stood up and gathered up his pack. "Oh, and one more thing. Iados, he used to be a pirate, right?"

"Is that a problem?" Jun asked.

"No, I mean we don't really care. I just wanted to double check on that 'independent trading vessel' bull."

"Before you go, I do have a question actually." Shenir stood up. "You seem like the kind of person who travels a lot. Have you come across a Temple to Beory, a Goddess of Nature? I was told they were stationed here in Dayur but I haven't been able to locate them."

"They're not in Dayur anymore. They were given some land a couple of years back and built a new Temple. I'm actually headed right by them if you want to tag along."

"That'd be great!"

"Alright, grab your gear. I just have to check in at the Chapter House and then I'm headed out. All I had to do in town was deliver that package to Ander and give him the spiel. I'll meet you outside the Chapter House." Ekiyoh nodded and walked out.

Ander and Jun ended up walking Ekiyoh and Shenir right to the city gates. They said their goodbyes and watched the two of them disappear into the crowd.

"Well, what now?" Jun asked as he adjusted the pack on his back. He'd learned yesterday that "The Gilded Rose" makes you pay for a room, even if you just kept a personal item in it by accident.

"I don't know, I mean, we've two months to kill now. We could stay here in Dayur?"

"Nah, the PeaceKeepers are pretty mad at the Chapter House and we'd probably get dragged into something."

"What are you, best friends with the PeaceKeepers?" Ander put his hands on his hips as he looked up at his friend.

Jun shrugged. "Maybe. Let's go ahead and head to Esterwill. If nothing else maybe we can trade labor for being extended guests at that monastery Iados was talking about."

"Sounds as good a plan as any. Last two months of quiet before a whole lot of craziness, we should try to enjoy it." They both gave a laugh and headed out headed for the port city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope you enjoyed your time with Ander! Next up we're heading over to check in with Lia! But first, Ander's Stats!
> 
> Name: Ander Tealeaf  
> Class/Level: Wizard Lvl. 3 - School of Evocation  
> Race: Halfling  
> Age: 45  
> STR: 9  
> DEX: 16  
> CON: 17  
> INT: 18  
> WIS: 16  
> CHA: 18  
> HP: 23  
> AC: 17
> 
> If you'll notice, Ander actually has some pretty decent stats (I rolled really good, which was shocking). He's definitely more booksmart than street smart, but he's intuitive which helps. Ander is one of those characters where his flaws don't really come in from the stats, but his personality. That's why in addition to the character sheet, the characters also have a 'Personality Traits' sheet that ranks different traits and such on a scale from 1-100. These are rolled using percentile dice, and usually the higher the stat the more it impacts, and anything between 25-75 is considered average. For example, Ander has an alcohol tolerance of 96. It takes a lot for him to get drunk, and when he does drink I roll and if the role is ABOVE the 96 than he's officially drunk. Otherwise he's buzzed or a little loopy but still coherent. On the opposite side, his Tall Tales is 09, meaning he sticks to the facts and doesn't really embellish stories.


	20. Definitions

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 20 -** **Definitions**

Lia sat at the scarred wooden table, her hair pulled up high in a messy ponytail. She scanned the faces of her opponents as she took a long sip of her ale.

"Well, you gonna bet?" The bearded Dwarven woman asked from across the table. A modest pile of coins laid in the center of the table, a good portion of it Lia's.

Lia glanced down at the cards in her hand, and smirked.

"I'll match your bet, and raise you a silver." Lia pushed five silver total into the middle. The old man next to her chuckled as he folded.

"Alright then, let's see what you got." The Dwarven woman fanned her cards out on the table, revealing three jacks and a two. Her companion, another Dwarven woman with black hair that was sitting at the table next to Lia, gave a holler.

"Not much beat that." The woman said in a thick accent.

"How about this?" Lia confidently fanned out her own cards….two queens, a jack, and a three. All of them red. "I win, right?"

"No," the woman across the table gave a huge sigh. The other two occupants of the table both held similar dejected looks.

Lia's face screwed up in confusion. "Why not? Don't my cards rank higher than yours?"

"Technically yes," The old man reached out and arranged the cards as he explained, again. "She has three jacks, and you have two queens. A three-of-a-kind beats your pair."

"But my pair are of a higher rank than the jacks. Last game I lost because I had the lesser ranked cards."

"No, you lost because I had a royal flush." The black-haired Dwarf answered without any enthusiasm. Lia looked at her with even more confusion.

"Iados, I think we broke your girl!" The bearded Dwarf called out towards the bar. Standing at the bar nursing his own mug was Iados, deep in conversation with another group of Dwarfs. Hearing the announcement, he excused himself and made his way over to the table.

"What do you mean you broke her, Torgga?" He asked as he pulled up a chair.

"Your girlfriend here cannot play cards to save her life." Torgga sighed. "She's so bad, I feel bad for taking her money."

"First, she's not my girlfriend, and second, come on, she can't be that bad." Iados chuckled and glanced at the pot, which was primarily all gold with a few silver pieces. "Pot looks healthy."

"Because of her." The old man had pulled out a pipe and used it to point to Lia. Iados turned his gaze to Lia, who was not looking at him.

"Lia, how much have you lost today?" Lia didn't answer him. "Do you have any money left?"

"About four gold pieces," Lia said quietly. "I truly thought I had a winning hand, truly." Iados gave a deep sigh and stood up.

"Lia, can I speak you to outside?" Lia nodded and the two of them quickly made their way outside of The Lonely Spider.

The two of them had been taking it easy in Rocklyn for the past month. Elaine, Kerri, and Carric had stayed in the small village for only a few days before they'd headed south with a caravan bound for Silverbank.

"Lia, how could you gamble all your money like that?" Iados asked once they had some distance from the building. The cool night air sent chills up Lia's arms.

"I didn't meant to! I was having a lot of fun, and it lasted longer the more I bet." Lia clutched her head. "Before I knew it I was practically out of money."

"How are we going to cover our room now? I'm tapped out, the agreement was I'd cover this month, and you'd cover next month."

"I'm really sorry Iados, I'm not used to having to actually pay attention to how much I'm spending. Back home my Uncle paid for everything and money wasn't something I had to worry about."

"Well you had better start worrying now!" Iados gave a loud groan and crouched on the ground. There was silence between the two of them as Iados softly muttered to himself, and Lia beat herself up. The more she was away from home, the more she realized just how coddled she'd been. After a few minutes and Iados didn't move from his spot, Lia turned and walked back into the inn.

She sat herself down at the bar and buried her head in her arms.

"Rough night?" The middle-aged bartender chuckled. "I overheard the Dwarves talking about your card skills." Lia groaned.

"How could I be that bad?" Her voice was muffled as she kept her head buried.

"It happens, some people just don't have the knack for it." The bartender reached out and started loading empty mugs into a crate. "Out of curiosity, how are you and the boyfriend gonna keep paying for your room?"

"According to him he's not my boyfriend." Lia finally unburied her head. "To be honest Steffan, I don't know."

"Well, let me know when you've got it figured out." Steffan nodded and took his crate into the kitchen. Lia sat at the bar for a few more minutes, waiting to see if Iados would come back in. Finally she gave up and headed up to the room.

Once in, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, grabbed her pack, and settled down on the floor in front of the window. She took out her ink, quill, sand, and parchment, arranging them out on the floor in front of her.

Now all she needed were the words to the letter she'd been trying to write for a month. The letter was to Uncle Himo, detailing everything she'd seen and found in the Dwarven mine. This was just another report, she'd written dozens of reports during her training. But this report, she couldn't write.

This report included what she'd read in the Cleric's journal. She'd read it over and over again in the past month, trying to reconcile the information there with the man she knew. The Himo described in the journal was similar but different from the Himo who'd raised her.

The worst part, she knew that to get the answers to the questions that were swimming around in her head, all she had to do was ask him.

Ever since the night of her hundredth birthday, when her beloved Uncle Himo had taken her past the hidden door in the Elder Door Sanctum, she'd had these questions. The journal had only provided a kind of verification to everything she'd seen.

Verification she wasn't sure she'd wanted.

She was still struggling when Iados walked in.

"Made any progress?" He asked as he flopped down on the bed.

"No. Come up with anything?"

"No." Silence stretched on.

"Iados, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Will you be my boyfriend?"

Iados chuckled. "What happened to keeping things casual?"

"It doesn't feel casual right now." Lia sighed and stood up. "We've been practically living together for a month now, and three times tonight we've been called a couple. Why can't we just make it official?"

"What's wrong with keeping things the way they are?" Iados sat up and crossed his legs. "I like how things are going right now. It's easy"

"Just saying this is casual isn't enough for me. It was fine for the first few weeks, but it's been a month. I want to move on to a real relationship, not just be your sex buddy."

"Why do you feel the need to put a label on this? What is there to gain by saying I'm your boyfriend?"

"A feeling that this relationship is actually moving forward in some way."

"Why do you keep calling what we have a 'relationship'?"

"What do you call it then?" Lia walked closer to the bed, her eyes narrowing.

"Casual, I call it casual. I call it sex without the hang-ups of a relationship." Iados swung his legs to the side of the bed and stood up. "I thought we had a good thing going, why change it?"

"Because I want more than just sex, I want a relationship!"

"In your mind, how is a relationship different from what we have now?"

"In a relationship, the two parties work together to solve problems. They have each other's back, they support each other, and they enjoy each other's company." Lia counted them off on her fingers.

"They give up on their dreams, retire to boring jobs, and slowly die of boredom." Iados countered. Lia was struck speechless for a few moments.

"'Give up on their dreams and slowly die', that's how you view relationships?"

"I've seen it happen a dozen times. Happened to my parents. They were soldiers, but once they got together they both retired." Iados stalked over towards the window. "I've seen old crew members meet the love of their lives and just walk away from piracy. Once you enter a relationship, your life is done."

"So what, the plan was for the two of us to join this new party, adventure together, and just keeping sleeping together for the heck of it. You never once considered taking it further because apparently being in a relationship is akin to death."

"Exactly," Iados shrugged, outlined by the moonlight streaming in.

Lia was at a loss for words. This was not the direction she'd imagined this conversation going.

"This seemed to be a talk that we needed. Thanks." Iados walked over and clapped Lia on the shoulder. "Come on, we should get some sleep, we've got some serious work to do tomorrow." Iados once again went over and flopped down on the bed. Lia wordlessly laid down next to him and allowed him to spoon her. She listened as his breathing slowly evened out over the next few minutes.

Once she was sure he was asleep, she carefully crawled out and once again settled herself on the floor in front of the window. For the rest of the night, she meditated. Thanks to her Elven blood, she didn't need to sleep like a regular humanoid, though she did on occasion because she enjoyed it.

She mediated on all her past relationships. She thought of what she got out of them that she felt a 'casual' relationship couldn't give her. She took the sex out of all of them and examined what was left. By the time the sun was coming up, she had her answer.

She wrote a short message on the parchment she still had out and laid it on the bed next to Iados. Quietly she gathered her things and went downstairs.

About an hour later, Iados came rushing down the stairs, the note clenched in his fist. He went straight up to Helena, Steffan the bartender's black-haired wife.

"Good morning Iados." Helena said as she looked up from slicing a loaf of bread.

"Have you seen Lia?" Iados asked, not bothering to return the greeting.

"She came down about an hour ago, asked if there was any work she could do. Just so happened one of the girls couldn't make it, so I had her fill in." Helena pointed out behind Iados. Turning, he saw Lia carrying a tray and delivering food and drink.

Iados stalked over to Lia, grabbed her arm, and pulled her away off towards an unoccupied corner of the room.

"What is this?" He held up the crinkled note.

"A piece of parchment." Lia said as she jerked her arm out of his grasp.

"I mean, what do you mean by "I need more than casual. We're over"." He read aloud.

"Just what it says. Our casual relationship is over. I'll still join Ander's group with you, because I want to be a part of that group, but the part where we sleep together is done."

"What happened to the part where you give something a year before you call it off?"

"Is that what you were banking on? A full year of uncomplicated sex? Those were actual full-fledged relationships. I gave them a year to see if they could be long-term, eventually leading to marriage. I want to settle down Iados. One day I want to be married and have kids. Not right now, but someday. It's pretty obvious you don't, so why should we waste our time on something that was always going to be short-term."

"There's nothing wrong with short-term."

"There is when you're looking for long-term." Lia sighed and backed off. "I have to get back to work now, I have to pay for two rooms."

"Why two?"

"We had an agreement, you took care of last month, and I take care of this month. I'm not going to cut you out just because we're not sleeping together." Lia smiled softly and went back to work.

Over the next few days, the two of them barely spoke to each other. Lia kept herself busy by taking shifts at the inn and running around using her healing spells to make some extra money. She wasn't sure what Iados did during the day, but whenever she was waitressing at the inn he was there.

He wasn't there in a creepy way, he mostly just sat at the bar and nursed a tankard. True to her word, the two of them had separate rooms. Steffan was kind enough to offer her a discount on the rooms.

It'd stung a bit more than she'd thought it would when she saw him take another girl up to his room one night.

A couple of days later, early one morning, Lia was awakened by someone pounding heavily on her door. Groggily she crawled out of bed and opened it. Iados was on the other side, and he pushed past her into the room.

"Get ready, quickly." He grabbed her boots and lightly tossed them onto her bed.

"Why?" She asked, becoming rapidly more alert.

"I found us some work." Iados gathered up her ink and quill and stowed them away in her bag. "There's a small merchant caravan about a mile from here. They sent a runner into town for directions. They're headed towards Osthom now, but their next stop after is Esterwill. The runner said they're in the market for some guards. It's perfect, we can earn some money and get a ride to Esterwill. According to the runner they should be in Esterwill at the same time we need to be there anyway."

"So you just signed us up without asking me."

"Yeah, I thought you'd be happy. Now you don't have to work downstairs."

"I like working downstairs."

Iados laughed. "You mean you like the attention. You know Steffan's only been letting you work because the customers like how you fill out the apron."

"He's been letting me work because Sherri had a baby and needs to rest."

"Listen, we don't have time for this. I only talked the runner into taking a few minutes longer. We have to go back to the caravan with him, now, or we don't get this job."

"You go, I'm staying. My wages will last longer if I'm not paying for two rooms anyway."

"You're the one who decided on room assignments, and I'm not leaving you here alone."

"Believe it or not Iados, I can handle myself. I'm going to stay here and make some more money. Carric said that the three of them intended on coming back this way on their way to Esterwill, so I'll hook up with them when the time comes."

"What if they don't come this way?"

"Then I am more than capable of making my own way. I did travel alone to get here in the first place." Lia walked over and took her pack out of Iados's hands. "Besides, it's not your job to look after me."

"You're right, it's not." Iados sighed heavily. "Fine. Good luck, I'll see you in Esterwill." He walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Truth be told, Lia wanted to follow him. Lia wanted to go on the road and help guard the caravan with him. But, she couldn't bring herself to. The air between them that had once been so free and easy to move in, had turned awkward and hard to navigate. Never before had an atmosphere read "broken up" like theirs did. To her it was just more evidence that they'd gone past 'casual'.

Lia was in a daze all morning as she brought people their orders. She was worried about how the current state of things between her and Iados would affect their party.

Around noon, just as the lunch rush began to filter in, there was a commotion outside the inn. Everyone, patrons and employees alike rushed to see what it was.

Two wagons, one with two horses and the other with only one, were barreling down the road. They came to a stop down the street from the inn. The wagons were loaded with injured. Men and women with gashes to their torsos, legs, arms, necks. Arrows were embedded in bodies, the wagons, and even one of the horses. The ones able to speak were yelling for help.

It was chaos as the village jumped in to help. The injured were carried away, the tables in the inn quickly becoming makeshift beds. Lia jumped in to help and her healing spells were quickly used up.

Soon after they ran out of clean water, and Lia was the first to grab the buckets and sprint out of the inn towards the village well.

"Have you heard what happened?" Lia asked as she approached the well. A man had been stationed at the well, his sole job being to bring up water as fast as it was used.

"They're part of a merchant caravan. Just as they were getting ready to leave, bandits attacked them. Stole damn near everything the caravan had. The survivors who could walk loaded up the injured and brought them here, they were only an hour or so away."

Sometime during the story, Lia had forgotten how to breathe.

"Is this the group that sent a runner in this morning, asking for directions?" Lia's voice shook as she asked.

"I don't know." The man wasn't even looking at her as he concentrated on hauling the heavy bucket up. "I know there's a couple of the merchants in the mayor's house now." He finally got the bucket up. When he turned to hand it over, all he saw was Lia's back as she raced further down the street.

In a small village such as this, the mayor's house looked the same as all the others. Today though it was easy to pick out from the small crowd in front of it. Messengers and their horses were being readied. Steffan was out front saddling a horse when Lia ran up to him.

"Steffan, did this group send a runner this morning?" She asked, out of breath but desperate.

"Yeah, and Iados went with him." Steffan's face was dark as he meticulously attached the saddle. "I've already asked, and no one remembers a Tiefling." He continued as he saw Lia's eyes widen and her mouth open.

"He has violet skin and horns, how can no one remember him?"

"No idea, but I intend to find out one way or another." Steffan finished putting the saddle on and in one fluid motion had pulled himself up. "You coming?" He reached a hand down towards her. Lia nodded and got on.

The two of them traveled away from the village, towards the direction where the wagons had come from. Both of them kept their eyes peeled for anything. They traveled quickly, and around an hour later came up to the merchant's camp site.

In the two wagons there had been around fifteen or so injured piled in. The number of dead scattered around the site seemed to be only around half the number of survivors. The campfire was still burning, a pot of liquid quietly simmering away. The smell of blood was heavy in the air, and already birds had begun circling above them.

Steffan and Lia split up and began searching the bodies. No sign of Iados.

It was Lia who heard the soft cry coming from the bushes. At first she thought it was a small animal, but when she pushed the foliage aside, she saw a horse. It was lying on its side, an arrow through its neck and its leg broken.

"Steffan, over here!" Lia went over to the horse, with Steffan joining her a moment later.

"This looks like what the runner rode in on." Steffan gently patted the horse. "I was outside mucking out the stable when he rode in. Iados had been helping me. I found the runner a few feet from here, he's dead."

"But no Iados, where could he be if he's not here or in Rocklyn?"

"I don't know," Steffan's voice was soft. "Take a look around, see if you can find anything, I'll take care of this fellow here." Lia nodded and broke off.

She focused on scouring the ground for any sign, thinking back to how she'd seen Carric look for tracks. She spent a few frantic minutes just crawling around on her hands and knees.

"It's no use!" Lia pounded the ground with her hands. "Steffan, there's nothing here!" Tears that she couldn't hold back began to fall silently down her face. "I should have been here! At least then I'd have known where the hell he was."

"Lia!" Steffan came over and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. "Calm down, and think. We haven't found his body so he might still be alive. He could be injured and roaming around in the forest for all we know. You said you're a Druid, don't you have a spell or something you can try?"

"I used all my spells healing people back at the village. All I have left is my beast shape."

"Beast shape? What's that?"

"I can transform into different beasts."

"What kind of beasts? A bird perhaps?"

Lia shook her head. "I'm not powerful enough for flight yet."

"How about a hunting dog? Or something with a good sense of smell?"

"Well, I can transform into a mastiff, or a dire wolf."

Steffan chuckled. "I've never actually seen a dire wolf before. Why don't you try it out and see if you can sniff Iados out?"

Lia nodded as she wiped her tears away. "That's a good idea, I guess I'm not very good under pressure."

"You've had a rough week. Now transform! Or whatever you Druid's say." Steffan stood up and backed away.

Lia closed her eyes and forced herself to focus back on her training. She pictured the dire wolf in her mind, thought back to when she assumed the form in the mine. She felt the power of the earth under her, and grabbed a hold of it. Pulling it into herself, she willed the magic to change her. Painlessly and seamlessly her body morphed into a large wolf with sleek black fur. Even before she opened her eyes, she could already smell so many more scents than before.

"Wow, so that's a dire wolf huh. Now I'm kind of glad I've never met them." Steffan said from behind Wolf-Lia.

Wolf-Lia turned to look at Steffan. She gave him a toothy grin. Stalking over to the now-dead horse, she concentrated on looking for Iados.

Almost immediately she found his scent. The faint sulfur scent, mixed with the smell of the salty seas that still clung to him was undeniable. Almost in a trance she followed it, with Steffan following along behind. It soon became very apparent that the trail was taking them deeper into the woods, away from Rocklyn.

"Lia, stop."

Wolf-Lia stopped and turned to look at Steffan.

"I have to get back to Rocklyn, let them know what we found. Get back to Helena and the inn. You keep following the trail. In that form you'll probably catch up with them by nightfall. Send word back if you can, but I can't follow you."

Wolf-Lia nodded, and ran off into the woods, following Iados's scent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope all of you appreciated this little bit of drama! Just a note for all of you, I have started cross-posting this story on Fanfiction.net and Royal Road. If you have any friends who only read those sites exclusively but you want to share the awesomeness that is Missteps, now they can!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who's keeping up with this story. We've reached 20 chapters and we've still barely scratched the surface. I hope the pace isn't too slow for you guys. My main goal with these individual chapters is to help the individual characters more, because it can be hard when they're in such a big group.
> 
> Till next time!


	21. Alone

**Missteps: A D &D Adventure  
**

**Part 21 -** **Alone**

"Note to self: next time you go running off in the spur of the moment to save your….comrade; GRAB YOUR PACK." Lia groaned and ran a hand down her face while she stood in the middle of the woods, with no idea where she was. Her dire wolf form had covered a lot of distance in very little time, following the sulfur/sea scent of Iados. However, after an hour the form had dissipated.

"How could they have covered so much ground so quickly?" Lia asked herself quietly as she headed off on foot in the general direction she'd been going as a wolf. She soon got her answer as a sound reached her ears. Past the next copse of trees, was a river.

It didn't take an expert tracker to see the deep tracks embedded in the soft earth, tracks that led towards the water. Lia spent about an hour on the riverbed, resting and scouring the ground for clues as to which way the bandits might have gone.

Eventually, she concluded two things. 1) She sucked at tracking. Give her a plant or an animal and she could probably identify it. Tell her track or read broken branches and weird holes in the ground, without magic, she was useless. 2) The current is pretty strong in the river, so if they're in a boat or something they probably went with it downstream, rather than fighting it to go upstream.

Unless they were intentionally trying not to be followed, in which they could try to confuse their follower by taking the risk to go upstream. They go up stream, and whoever is following them goes downstream.

On the other hand they do have a few wagons that they took from the caravan and a lot of goods, so they're probably erring on the side of convenience. Therefore they'd just go downstream.

They also could have just crossed the river and continued on the other side.

Lia groaned and buried her head in her knees.

"I might as well just flip a coin," She muttered. "But I don't have any coin, it's all back at the inn…" She sighed again. Her brother was right, she really wasn't equipped to travel alone.

When she'd first travelled from Stonepine, her Uncle Himo had made all the travel arrangements. All she'd had to do was sit in the back of a wagon while it took her to Rocklyn. He'd even made arrangements for the same caravan to bring her back, but she'd turned them down. She didn't want to go home, not until she knew what to say. Hell, if she couldn't even bring herself to write her Uncle a letter than how was she supposed to face him?

She let herself wallow for another moment, before she stood up and found a rock with a divot on one side. "Smooth side, upstream." She told herself softly as she flipped the rock up. The small stone did a few turns before landing at her feet, the divot staring up at her.

"Alright then, downstream. Probably the best choice actually." Lia started off downstream, following the river. Even she could see that she only had a few hours of daylight left. It was still early afternoon when she'd headed out, but time seemed to pass quickly in the forest.

The hike through the forest was more or less uneventful, and actually kind of relaxing. It gave her a chance to think about what had sent her away from home. Out here, there weren't really any distractions. Carric or Jun might have said differently, but she was able to relax in her relative obliviousness.

She did take a moment to worry over Iados, but the fact that he was taken and not killed seemed like a good sign. She couldn't imagine that pirates and bandits were that different of groups, he might have convinced them to let him join. Lia gave a small laugh.

"That's right, he doesn't need your help, so why'd you run out?" She snorted.

She knew why. She had feelings for him, and she'd always been one to act on her feelings rather than think things out. As her Uncle had put it, she acted more on instinct and gut reaction than logic.

Not that that was a bad thing. She'd been trained to listen to her instincts, to that part of herself that was in touch with the world around her. It was the reason why she could transform into a dire wolf, while others at her level could only be a cat or a dog. At least, she thought it was. So much of what she'd learned had been theory and lessons for the future when she'd be stronger.

She felt stronger out here, with her group, than she had at the Sanctum.

There, she was Himo's niece. The girl he'd taken in out of pity. Lia knew that he actually did care for her, a lot, but she couldn't change the whispers in the halls. Trying to find an identity for herself in that place, just wasn't possible. It became even more impossible after she'd seen what was behind that hidden door.

Out here, she was stronger. Out here she felt more connected to the world around her than in the forests of her youth. Out here she was free. Out here….she was lost.

She wasn't aware of how long she'd been walking, but it must have been several hours. Shadows had begun to grow longer while she'd been lost in her thoughts. Night was probably an hour, hour and a half away.

Her stomach grumbled and reminded her that it'd been a while since breakfast, and the caravan commotion had insured she'd had no lunch. She took a few minutes to scout the area around her, easily finding some foliage along the riverbank that was actually quite delicious. Being an elf, she was used to the majority of her diet being greens.

Her attention next went to somewhere she could camp for the night. Even though the dark didn't bother her, she was still wary of the creatures that came with the dark. Unfortunately she was in an area where the tree branches started six feet in the air, and the undergrowth was sparse. Autumn was also quickly descending on the area, so everything green was quickly turning and falling. The temperature was also dropping, as she was already beginning to feel.

Traveling farther into the forest away from the river, she searched for a copse of bushes or a hidden cave, something that would offer safety and shelter.

What she found instead, was a band of goblins. She saw them heading towards her thanks to her _darkvision_. There were about four of them, with two of them pulling a small covered cart.

Lia looked around her, nervous energy suddenly filling her. She needed to hide, fighting was not an option. There was a large tree close by, with branches still full of leaves. She sprinted over and immediately began to climb. At first the bark just came off in her hand. The nearest branch was a couple of feet above her. Eventually she found a spot that was stable enough and she was able to haul herself up to grab the branch. The next challenge was pulling herself up onto it.

She could now hear the goblin's talking amongst themselves in their language. At that moment, she really wished that she'd learned Goblin instead of Celestial.

She managed to haul herself up, but just barely. The goblin band was close enough now that she dared not move. She hugged the branch and prayed that the goblins didn't look up.

The small band moved right under Lia's hiding spot, seemingly towards the river she'd left behind.

A goblin with a pierced ear happened to look up as he yawned. As he did, he made direct eye contact with Lia.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment as Lia watched the goblin's eyes go wide in recognition. The spell was broken as it yelled out in goblin.

Lia tried to sit up on the branch, preparing to bolt, somehow. As she moved, she heard a crack. Before she could even turn around and look, the branch broke underneath her.

Lia hit the ground, and the goblin, with a heavy thud. She also landed on her right arm with a crunch. A wave of pain started to radiate out from her upper arm and she saw spots.

Around her the goblins pulled out their scimitars, with the exception of the goblin who'd broken her fall. That one was no longer moving.

Lia stretched out her hand towards the nearest goblin and with a pain-filled word cast _Poison Spray_. The cloud of noxious gases surrounded the goblin, causing it to hack and cough.

The goblins all took a swing at her, with only one of them managing to hit. The other two blades hit the remnants of the tree around her or just missed outright as the gassed goblin did.

Every fiber in Lia's being told her to run, and she listened. Pushing past the pain, she _Wild Shap_ ed herself into her dire wolf form. Her leg still in pain, she rolled over and shakily got into a standing position. She let out a snarl towards the goblins around her.

The two goblins who'd been pulling the cart, had already been backing up upon seeing a dire wolf now in front of them. As the snarl hit their ears, they grabbed their cart and began pushing it back the way they'd come. The third goblin, stared Lia down for a second before saying something in goblin and leaving to follow the other two.

 _I cannot believe that worked._ Lia thought to herself as she watched the goblins disappear into the foliage. Using her sense of smell, she made sure that they were indeed leaving. Not wanting to risk them coming back, Lia left the area.

She limped back towards the river and continued on downstream. Almost an hour later, she came across a thick clump of bushes. Crawling inside she was greeted with a soft bed of moss. She transformed back into Lia and just laid there. Using her fingers, she lightly traced over her arm, grimacing when she touched a sensitive spot. Looking over, she suddenly wasn't so thankful for her _darkvision_. She'd been taught some medicinal skills, but you didn't need any kind of lessons to see that her arm was out of alignment.

She knew what she should do, she should splint her arm so that the bone could realign. At that moment though, all she wanted to do was sleep. The adrenaline of the encounter was gone, and she hurt.

Lia passed out before she had another thought.

When she awoke, the sun was high in the sky and the air was filled with the chirping of birds.

She felt weak, but alive. Sitting up was painful, and when she used her left arm to push herself up, she was rudely reminded of the long gash along her forearm given to her by the goblin the night before.

Concentrating, she reached out for the magic of nature beneath her. Usually she'd refill the store of magic within her by drawing from the earth itself. Now though she was in too much pain to concentrate fully. She did manage to extract some energy though, enough for maybe two spells.

She cast _cure wounds_ on herself, sighing in slight relief as the gash on her arm healed up and she felt strength return to her body. Her arm however, was still broken.

One of the first things she'd learned about healing magic, was that spells like a _cure wounds_ worked by speeding up the body's own natural healing process. Gashes being closed up and tired muscles being rejuvenated are the most common forms. Larger injuries such as broken bones that have to be set, or conditions such as being poisoned or blinded required the use of stronger healing spells. Those kinds of magic worked outside the body's healing process, instead of just speeding it up.

Turning her attention to the broken arm, she was not enthused by the dark discoloration all over the skin. Most of the darkness came from deep bruises. The injury was also swollen, making it nearly impossible to assess how out of line the bone was. It would do no good to splint the injury until the swelling went down.

Awkwardly, she tore a length of cloth off the bottom of her skirt and fashioned a rough sling.

Emerging from the bushes, she stopped and drank heavily from the cool river. The bank was full of edible plants, and Lia partook ravenously. While foraging, she found some plants to make a paste out of and spread it on her arm. If she was right, the paste should help calm the swelling and soothe the bruises, hopefully.

She briefly wondered if she should _wild shape_ again, but the sudden remembrance that her arm was still broken last time she did negated the thought. Last thing she needed was to exacerbate her wound. She did however need to get some distance between her and those goblins.

With a wince of pain, she started off downstream once again. The going was slow, with her arm pulsing in pain the whole time. She was tempted to use _cure wounds_ again, if only to try to alleviate the pain. The memory of the fight last night though convinced her to save her magic. Just in case she ran into them again.

She had no destination as she walked. She just hoped that she'd run into something. Another village, maybe some of the bandits she'd tried to follow. A fellow druid out here in nature would be great.

Her thoughts today were only concerned on walking. Concentrating on where she was going lest she fall. Keeping her eyes open for any threats. Today she embodied the mentality of Carric and Jun.

That night she found another bush and moss location and had an uneventful night.

The next morning, she was happy to discover that the swelling in her arm had finally gone down. Before she did anything else, she was going to set her arm. The sooner she could set it, the sooner it could begin to heal. Once set, a _cure wounds_ should be able to help it heal quickly.

She'd only just begun her search for suitable branches she could use to splint her arm, when she triggered the trap. She was walking along, then suddenly she felt her weight drop, then lift as she was ensnared in a net. The sudden force caused her to cry out in pain as her arm was painfully jostled and brushed against the rough netting.

She was only a few feet off the ground, but the way the net cradled her made it almost impossible to move without a wave of pain radiating out from the break.

"Help!" Lia yelled. "I'm stuck in a net! Please help me!" Lia's voice shook as she yelled out, a sign that panic was beginning to sink in. Being injured in the woods, she could deal with. Being trapped in a net without an obvious way out, was not something she wanted to deal with. "If this is your net, please let me out!"

After an hour of yelling to no avail, Lia turned her mind to what she could do magically to get herself out of the net. She could try to _Poison Spray_ the net, but it was too close proximity and she'd be affected by the cloud. _Ice Knife_ would possibly work, but the problem was she could only fling the weapon, it wasn't something she could hold and saw with. She finally decided that the concussive force of _Thunderwave_ was possibly her best bet.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated on building a cube of magic within her, charging it from the magic reserve within herself. When it was full, she let it out with a single word and gesture. Like a shockwave of force, the magic radiated out with a tremendous booming sound. She waited a few moments for the painful thud she knew was coming.

Nothing happened.

Opening her eyes, she was dismayed to see that she was still in the net. Lia sighed heavily and kicked out as much as she was able to in frustration.

The motion was enough for the frayed rope beneath her to snap, and she hit the ground. Her injured arm got slightly tangled in the net on the way down, not enough to get stuck, but enough that combined with her hitting the hard ground, she passed out.

"Is she dead?" A rough, slightly feminine voice drifted through the haze of Lia's hearing. With a small groan she forced herself to open her eyes.

"Not yet it seems." This time the voice was masculine.

Lia opened her eyes, blinking a few times as her sight became clear. Above her were two figures. One was a male, light-skinned, with gray hair that was pulled back into a ponytail but with prominent sideburns framing his face. Concern graced the features of his lightly wrinkled face. The other figure was significantly more youthful-looking, though Lia couldn't be sure if her dark skin had anything to do with her youthful look. She seemed to be bald, but it was impossible to miss the large incisors that was a trademark of the Orc race.

Lia tried to sit up, but the man gently but forcefully stopped her.

"Take it easy, we're still making sure you're not going to die on us." The man smiled and turned his attention to examining her arm.

"She alive?" A new voice said. Lia turned to look and was confronted with two more figures, the first a purple-skinned Tiefling and the second a dark-skinned Elf. For a moment Lia thought the Tiefling might have been Iados, but that hope was lost as she caught sight of the tail.

"Kils says she is, though she's not really talking." The Half-Orc stood up, and the Elf quietly took her place.

"Are you alright?" The Elf, whose blue hair was cut short, asked in Elvish. Lia nodded. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for my friend." Lia answered, in Common. "I've had a lousy couple of days."

"Is your friend out here?" The Tiefling asked. Now that she was closer, Lia could see that her long hair was similarly colored just like her skin.

"I think so, he was abducted by bandits a few days ago, after they attacked a caravan." Lia hissed in pain as the older man, Kils, touched a particularly sore spot on her arm.

"What's his name?" The Elf's eyebrow had raised slightly.

"Iados, he's a Tiefling without a tail. Can't really miss him."

No sooner had Lia finished speaking, than the Half-Orc began howling in laughter.

"Is she alright?" Lia asked, finally being permitted to sit up. Work had moved to constructing a better sling with the help of a long rag pulled from one of the newcomer's packs.

"Awill is never right to begin with." The Elf stood up, a large smile covering his face. "Good news, we have indeed seen your friend. In fact, we'll take you to him."

"That would be wonderful!" Lia stood up. She was excited to see Iados again, hopefully in one piece.

"There is some bad news though." The Tiefling said as she sidled up to Lia. With one graceful move, she pulled out a dagger and held it to Lia's throat. "We're the bandits who kidnapped him."

"Technically we prefer the term mercenaries." Kils said off-handedly as he wiped the dirt off his legs.

Lia was suddenly filled with fear. It was at that moment that her eyes took in all the weapons surrounding her. Kils had a shortbow that he'd laid on the ground, Awill seemed to be a weapon in and of herself in addition to the flair and hand axes strapped to her sides. The Elf had a longbow strapped to his back and a shortsword on his hip. The Tiefling in front of her, had at least one dagger and another at her waist.

"What are you going to do with me?" Lia asked, cursing her voice for shaking.

"Take you to your friend." The Elf gave a small laugh, then turned and began walking into the forest. Kils and the Tiefling stuck to Lia's side as Awill brought up the rear. As they walked, Kils and Awill seemed to be having a conversation in some deep guttural language. Lia wanted to ask, but the dagger the Tiefling kept trained on her kept her quiet.

They'd only been walking for about fifteen minutes or so when they came up on the bandit's camp.

It was not what Lia had been expecting.

The camp was more like a small tent city, with several cooking pits scattered around. The smell of boiling leather and cooking meat filled the air. There were also a lot of children running around, pulling wagons from station to station, or chasing each other. Every adult in the camp was consumed in some activity. The majority of the camp's occupants were Tieflings, the largest concentration of Tieflings that Lia had ever seen.

Her captors steered her towards the middle of the camp, where a good-sized fighting ring had been established. Inside, a familiar looking Tiefling was surrounded by a group of children. His back was to them as the group approached.

"Hey Iados! We found the source of that huge boom." Awill yelled out as they got closer, purposely moving up and hiding Lia behind her.

"Was it a cannon?" Lia heard Iados's voice yell back jovially.

"Nope, it was a person." The Elf said. The group stopped moving. Lia tried to peer around the large Half-Orc, but to no avail. Kils put a finger to his lips and motioned for her to keep quiet. "She said she came looking for you."

"She?" Iados's voice sounded closer.

"Yep, found her passed out on the ground. She did eventually wake up." The Half-Orc said.

"Well, where is she?" Iados's voice had lost its jovial tone and had instead adopted one of concern.

"We slit her neck and left her there." The Tiefling next to Lia said as she stepped out and stowed her knife away.

"What? Why?" Iados yelled. Lia couldn't take it anymore.

 _I'm right here_. Lia whispered as she sent a _message_ cantrip to Iados.

 _Thank Osprem! Where is here?_ Iados thought back.

Lia smiled and stepped out from behind Awill. "Good to see you're not dead."

Iados didn't answer her as he immediately ran over and engulfed her in his arms. Almost immediately he let go as Lia gave a soft hiss of pain.

"What happened to you?" Iados asked as he took in her injured arm.

"Fell out of a tree onto some Goblins." Lia smiled and looked at Iados. He didn't appear hurt in anyway, no scratches, no obvious wounds.

"What are you doing out here? Why aren't you back in Rocklyn?" Iados asked.

"The injured from the caravan came back to town. I went dire wolf and followed your scent, for a while at least. Then I was just lost." Lia took a shaky breath, the relief of finding Iados lifting a weigh off her shoulders. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Iados sighed. "Awill got a little too excited is all."

"Hey, I've already apologized for that." The Half-Orc said with a little pout.

"Actually you haven't." Iados turned to face the Half-Orc. "I've still a got bump on the back of my head. Did you have to use the flail?"

"Better the flail than her fists, less damage." The Elf added. He walked over to Lia and extended a hand. "Name's Jahill by the way, Awill and I are old crewmates of Iados's. We were all pirates aboard The Howling King."

Lia accepted the hand. "Lia."

"Figured that's who you were. Iados here hasn't shut up about you." Jahill smirked and then introduced the other two. "The old man there is Kilsomir, though we call him Kils for short. The dagger-loving Tiefling here is my fiancée and baby mama, Peblin."

"You know I hate that term." Peblin glared at Jahill as he looked over his shoulder at her.

"What, 'baby mama' or 'fiancée'?" Jahill asked innocently.

"Fiancée."

"Well, just convince Kils here to perform a wedding for us and we can take care of it." Jahill shrugged and turned back to Lia. "Kils, will you take Lia here over to Hecelina to get that arm taken care of?"

"It'll be my pleasure." Kils gestured for Lia to follow him.

"I'm coming with." Iados announced, but Jahill shook his head.

"Nope, we need to talk first. Besides, Hecelina's still mad at you." The Elf firmly grabbed Iados's hand and pulled it off Lia's shoulder where it'd been standing guard. "She'll be perfectly safe, you know that."

"I'll come find you after my arm is fixed, I promise." Lia smiled softly at Iados. She so desperately wanted to reach out and kiss him, but held herself back. Comrades didn't kiss. She waited until Iados reluctantly nodded before she followed Kils across the camp.

"Don't worry, Hecelina will get your arm fixed in no time at all." Kils reassured her as they walked.

"If you don't mind me saying, this isn't what I'd pictured a bandit camp looking like." As they walked, Lia noticed that only a few of the occupants of the tent city were armed.

"That's because this isn't a bandit camp, it's a refugee camp basically." Kils explained. "You see all the Tieflings around, they're the lucky ones who were able to leave Esterwill."

"Esterwill? My party is supposed to meet there in a couple of months."

Kils gave a curt laugh. "I'd change your plans. The city is on lockdown. Once you go in, you don't come out."

"What happened?"

"Tensions between the Tiefling population and everyone else finally came to a boil. There was a clash in the streets, and a human boy got killed. Blame was placed on the Tieflings and that was enough ammo for the racist bastards in power to go after them. Peblin back there worked as a 'benefactor' of sorts for an orphanage in town. She saw the signs of unrest and hired us as mercenaries to evacuate as many as she could before the lockdown started."

"Where are you headed now?" Lia asked.

"No idea, but we're hoping to find someplace before winter sets in. If we don't, a large chuck of these people won't see spring." The two of them reached a tent and Kils led her inside. Inside the tent was an older Tiefling woman with dark blue skin and light blue hair that hung past her shoulders. "Now, I'll leave you in Hecelina's capable hands."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. I was glad I was able to give insight into how I was interpreting magic and healing spells. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. This is the end of Lia for now, she needs some downtime for her arm to heal. Iados is up next!
> 
> Name: Lia Liadon  
> Class/Level: Druid Lvl. 3 - Circle of the Moon  
> Race: High Elf  
> Age: 125  
> STR: 13  
> DEX: 16  
> CON: 15  
> INT: 14  
> WIS: 17  
> CHA: 13  
> HP: 26  
> AC: 16
> 
> A note on Lia's spells and animal forms. Now, going strictly by the book, Lia has access to ALL of the druidic spells. Going through them, there are some that Lia wouldn't cast either for personal reasons or she wouldn't have been exposed to them as part of her studies. So what I've done is filled all the slots for 1st and 2nd levels with spells that she would have been exposed to. This is the list she'll draw from when preparing. As she gains more life experience, some of those spells might change as she changes as a person. On her Wild Shape, she has familiarity enough with 8 animals now, and I've determined that she'll add 2-3 animals to that list everytime she levels. These rules help me keep track of all the characters, as well as pose realistic limitations on the characters themselves.


	22. Never Really Out

**Missteps  
**

**Part 22 -** **Never Really Out  
**

"Alright, so what's so important?" Iados asked Jahill, his eyes not leaving Lia's retreating form. His heart was still hammering.

That morning he'd left Rocklyn, he'd still held hope that she'd come running after him. He knew they needed the money, and if her only weakness was being horrible with money, then he'd step up and help. Osprem only knew she didn't need his help in a fight.

Seeing her with one arm flecked with dried blood, the other black and blue and hanging limply in a sling, while her clothes were torn, and pieces of dried moss and other foliage were tangled in her hair, scared him. Whatever happened to her over the past few days, she was alone through it and he hated it.

Jahill moved to where he was in front of Iados. "I need you to go to Osthom."

"Why?"

"Winter's coming and we're in need of supplies."

"Isn't that why you attacked the caravan, to get the supplies?" Iados's voice was harsher than he meant to. Even though he understood why his old crewmates had done it, didn't mean he condoned it. He knew of at least one innocent person they'd killed, one who didn't even have a chance of fighting back.

"We didn't get everything we need, and we didn't think we could." Awill said this time. "We attacked them for their money, not their goods."

"So now you're going to use the money to buy supplies like honest citizens?" Iados turned around and moved till the four of them left were facing each other.

"It's the same tactic we used on _The Howling King_." Awill crossed her arms and faced down Iados. He noticed that the female Half-Orc had moved to stand next to Jahill, always the First Mate.

"Why me? Why not one of you?"

"Kils will be going as well, don't worry." Jahill sat down on top of a barrel, folding his legs up under him. "We need you to go because Caradoc likes you best. We were thinking of sending Kils and Peblin but-"

"Caradoc still owes me a favor." Iados sighed. He thought his days of pirating were behind him, but even on land he couldn't seem to escape it. "When do I leave?"

"Just after lunch."

"Can't it be tomorrow morning, please?"

"No, this needs to be done as soon as possible. Don't worry, your girlfriend will be safe with us." Jahill hopped down.

"She's not my girlfriend." Iados said. Jahill grinned and clapped Iados on the shoulder.

"Whatever you say." The Elf grinned and walked off, Peblin on his heels.

"Since when did Jahill decide to settle down?" Iados asked Awill as he watched a couple he never expected walk off.

"Wasn't really a decision." Awill gestured for Iados to follow her. "After we all went our separate ways, he and I ended up in Esterwill chasing down old debts. Peblin and Jahill had spent a few nights together almost a year ago, and since she was the only person we knew in town we looked her up. Last thing we expected to see was a purple baby with pointed ears." The Half-Orc laughed loudly, sending a few birds flying into the air. "As soon as Peblin confirmed that the kid was his, Jahill proposed."

"But Jahill hates kids. I legit watched him kick a kid out of the way once."

"True, right now Jahill really only tolerates the kid, and only because they share blood. He's by no means a paternal figure, but he's determined not to be a deadbeat father. Guess more of the Captain rubbed off on him than he thought." Awill sighed heavily, and Iados clapped her shoulder.

Their Captain, Captain Eldon, had been a Gnome of certain beliefs and rules. He'd run his ship according to a Code of Laws, and he never strayed. The most dominant of his Laws, was that you could only be faithful to a single family.

He preached that a person had three families in life. The first family was the family you were born into and the ones who raised you. Hopefully these were the same people, but if not, then you counted the ones you shaped your early beliefs around.

Your second family was made up of the people you surrounded yourself with. Your friends, your comrades. For everyone on _The Howling King_ , they were each other's second family.

The third family, was the one you made. This consisted of those you married or entered into other romantic or legal bindings with. This was the family where the next generation came from.

Captain Eldon's second Law, was that children were never to be harmed. For this reason, any man who became a father while serving on _The Howling King_ was forced to leave. After someone becomes a parent, in Eldon's eyes, their whole world then revolved around their children. It was up to them to teach them the world, and help them grow up and become members of it. Iados had seen many a man leave the ship due to this rule. In Eldon's eyes, abandoning their child or not recognizing it was just as harmful to the kid as slitting their throat.

Captain Eldon had lost his own family, many years ago. Instead of being home, he'd been on the sea. Word had never reached him of his family's death till a year later when he'd returned home to the burned remains of his house. In his grief he went back out to sea, and never let a member of his crew make the same mistake. Family meant everything to Captain Eldon.

Awill and Iados reached a supply tent and began packing supplies for him and Kils. As they packed the bags, the two of them fell back into the easy camaraderie established over years of being at sea.

Awill was the only female that had ever been allowed to serve for an extended period of time abroad _The Howling King_. Captain Eldon had bought her from a slaver when she was only a year old. She'd grown up at sea, the crew and the Captain being the only family she'd ever known. In fact, it was Awill who had plucked Iados out of the water after they'd attacked his merchant vessel.

"What kind of supplies will I be fetching?" Iados bent over and began picking through the supplies, grabbing the ones he'd recognized as his.

"Heat and food sources. We got enough from the caravan that we can build shelters enough to last, but are our main concerns are freezing and starvation."

"Why didn't you bring them when you left Esterwill?"

"It was more of a 'grab and go' evacuation than a planned event." Awill grunted as she tightened the straps of the pack around a bedroll. "Besides, most of the kids and adults we evacuated were Tieflings, the merchants in town would barely sell them food let alone survival goods."

"I don't remember tensions being that bad."

"When was the last time you actually went home?"

Iados had to think for a minute. "Two or three years, I think. Mom wasn't exactly excited with my career choice."

"You were pretty young when you left, and you're parents probably shielded you from the worst of it. Take my word for it, it's bad now. I would not recommend you going there anytime soon."

Iados gave a heavy sigh. He knew it'd only cause an argument to tell her that he fully intended on going home. Not just because he had to meet up with his group, but he was worried about his family. Logically he knew that being at the monastery was probably the safest place in that town, but his parents had started their careers in the army. He knew that if anything happened, they'd be the first ones in the fray.

"Changing the subject, what's the story between you and Lia?"

"We're friends," Iados hauled his full pack onto his back. "I've told you this."

"You told us that she was in Rocklyn, and that you needed to meet back up with her at some point. You didn't tell us that she was a badass who'd follow your ass into the woods. Also, that hug you gave her, that was not a friend hug."

"Ok, fine. We were sleeping together, till she broke it off."

"Ah, now I see what happened." Awill nodded solemnly, picked up her pack, and left.

"You see what?" Iados called out as he followed her. Awill headed for a small, makeshift corral filled with horses.

"You did what you always do. It's to be expected." Awill dropped the pack, jumped the 6-foot wall in a single bound, and began rounding up a couple of horses.

"What do you mean, 'what I always do'?"

"You're afraid of commitment, it's nothing to be ashamed of." The horses had decided that it was playtime, and were taking great enjoyment in running just out of Awill's reach.

"I want the black one!" Kilsomir called out as he jogged over to them.

"How's Lia?" Iados asked once Kils had joined him outside the fence.

"Under Hecelina's care. Hecelina said she'd broken her arm in three places."

"Did she say how she'd broken her arm?"

"Yeah, claims to have fallen out of a tree while hiding from a gang of goblins." Kils pulled a piece of hard tack out of his pocket and started chewing on it. "I take it Jahill told you about our errand?"

"You ever been to Osthom?" Iados asked. Kils was still a stranger to him, though they'd met in passing. He'd been part of a friendly pirate vessel that had come to _The Howling King's_ aid once or twice, and them theirs.

"Loads of times, though it's been a few years. I was stationed there with the army for a while."

"You know," Awill called out. "You two could be getting the saddles and whatnot ready."

"We're on our lunch break!" Kils answered as he pulled out another piece of hard tack and handed it to Iados. He pulled out a third piece and held it up. "Want one?"

Awill stopped, looked at the horses who were still avoiding her, and shrugged. "Why not." She bounded over the fence again, hitting the ground with a hard thud.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Kils handed the piece over and the three of them settled themselves on the ground.

"Iados's fear of commitment." Awill took a large bite of the tack.

"I do not have a fear of commitment." Iados said exasperated. "Why would you think that?"

"It's pretty obvious." Jahill said as he came up behind Awill. Awill jumped and bit her lip. The Elf settled himself on the ground as well, tossing a clinking bag to Kils as he did. "There should be enough in there to cover everything, and the list is inside of what we're looking for, plus a few alternates if needed."

"I'm sorry, but what's so obvious? I have a pretty good dating life." Iados was genuinely curious now.

"Dating, yes. You're good at the meet-cute, tumble in the sack, first month romance, but your 'dates' hardly ever last a second month." Jahill explained as pulled out his own piece of hard tack. "The minute they start talking about their feelings, or say that they want more out of the relationship than just sex, you're gone."

"You don't do feelings," Awill muttered as she rubbed her lip. "You can talk a good game, but you can't deliver."

"What's wrong with just keeping the fun stuff? Keeping the relationship uncomplicated?"

"What's wrong is that you can't grow a relationship like that." Jahill hung his head. "Imagine if _The Howling King_ was populated by a crew of people who just played cards together and got drunk. We never took the time to understand each other, we were never honest with our feelings on situations or people. What do you think would have happened?"

Iados just looked at Jahill and blinked blankly.

Kilsomir laughed. "New tactic Jahill."

Jahill thought for a minute and then snapped his fingers. "Awill, do you remember that trader a few years back, the one who tried to sell us the pixie?"

Awill nodded and rolled up her pants legs. "Blasted thing left a scar. What about it?"

"You remember what you told me?"

"That I got a bad feeling off the guy? I remember that my whole stomach was in knots."

"I could have very easily have just written it off as you having gas, but because we knew each other and I trusted your instincts, I turned him down."

"Ja, you killed him." Awill corrected. "You started a whole fight with his crew. It was you, me, and Onivid against a crew of twenty. We had to jump overboard and swim twenty miles back to _The Howling King_."

"What bit you on the leg?" Kils asked.

Awill grinned. "The pixie. Someone knocked its cage open and it got out. I almost stepped on it and it bit me in retaliation."

"The point of the story, is that we trusted each other." Jahill said. "I trusted that Awill and Onivid would have my back, and they trusted that I knew what I was doing. That kind of trust and understanding is what you seem incapable of building in a relationship. You're scared of being that close to another person."

Iados opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. He couldn't deny that Jahill had a point. His longest relationship to date was one he'd had with a fellow crewmember. He and Sinen had been crewmates for almost a year before they'd started dating. Iados remembered that relationship feeling different than others that he'd had, he had felt closer to Sinen than anyone else. It'd hurt when Sinen had left the ship without him.

His time with Lia though, had felt different. Being with her seemed so natural, that he'd had to remind himself several times that they were still strangers.

Besides, how could he trust her, when he knew she was hiding something. He'd watched her struggle for an entire month to write a single letter to her Uncle. He saw the look of worry and pain that she got on her face as she read the Dwarven diary. Lia knew more about the Settlement and its inhabitants than she let on. If she didn't trust him to tell him the truth, then how could he trust her with anything?

As he let his thoughts wander, his fingers unconsciously entered one of the many pockets of his pants. Inside, his fingers grazed the cold medal of the Holy Symbol he'd taken off the corpse of the Dwarven Head Priest. Numerous times he'd wanted to pull it out and question Lia about it, but everytime he'd hesitated and the moment seemed lost.

All too soon it was time to leave.

Jahill walked with them to the edge of the camp. He was giving them final instructions and handing over a small map when they were interrupted.

"What's going on?" Lia had approached the group, and no one had noticed.

"I'm sending them on an errand to Osthom." Jahill answered, as he and everyone noticed the heavy bandaging on Lia's arm. The arm was bandaged from shoulder to wrist, and secured in a sturdy sling that cradled it to her torso. The moss and blood flecks were gone, and she'd been given a change of clothes.

"Now?" Lia's gaze was locked on to Iados. "I was hoping we could talk."

Iados slid off his horse. "Five minutes," he whispered to Jahill as he walked past. He guided Lia into a nearby tent.

"How's the arm?"

"Set," Lia grinned. "Using a _Cure Wounds_ once a day, Hecelina's confident that it'll be good as new in a couple of weeks."

"Why not just completely heal it now?"

"She's of the opinion that if we've got the time, we should let it heal naturally a bit. Something about strengthening the bone or something."

"So, does that mean you're going to stick around here for a while?" Lia nodded.

"Hecelina asked me to, actually. Some of my training from the Sanctum will actually come in handy getting this place ready for the winter. I will have to make a trip back to Rocklyn at some point though, I left all my gear at the Inn."

"Hey, speaking of the Sanctum, I've got a question." Iados's hand started to twitch.

"Oh, what?" It was hard to miss the sudden squaring of shoulders as Lia braced for the question.

"Did you ever finish that letter to your Uncle?"

Lia visibly deflated. "No, I haven't."

"Oh, I thought if you had that I could have delivered it while I was out." Iados knew that that wasn't what he really wanted to ask, but it was what came out.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

Iados shrugged. "It's at least a few days journey on horseback to Osthom, and who knows how long it'll be getting the equipment we're looking for. Could be a few weeks to a couple of months."

"Well don't forget that we have to meet up with everyone in a couple of months. I'll stay here till you get back, and then we can head out together. Safe travels." Lia reached up and pecked him on the cheek. To Iados it almost seemed as if she was aiming for his lips, and then suddenly redirected. As he watched her leave the tent, he felt the urge to grab her arm and redirect that kiss back, but the unanswered questions and doubt swirling in his head stopped him.

He wasn't sure if it could just be called a fear of commitment that stopped him, or if there really was something more.

With a shake of his head he returned to his horse and him and Kils headed out.

By nightfall the two of them had reached the main road that would take them all the way to Osthom.

The next morning the duo had barely started out before trouble struck. As they sauntered along at a reasonable pace, a large brown bear ambled out of the trees. Kils horse reacted very badly, rearing up and running off the trail. The bear didn't even notice as it ambled along to the other side of the road and back into the trees.

Iados steered his horse after Kils. Unfortunately, the horse fell victim to a bear trap. Its front leg was trapped in the jaw and it took several minutes for the two of them to disable the trap. Thankfully the damage wasn't so severe that Kils couldn't heal the appendage.

For the rest of their trip, the weather was awful. The first real cold front swept through the area sending flurries into their tent at night. The temperature would hover in the fifties during the day, and then plummet down into the teens at night. Once or twice the boys took shelter in abandoned homes or caves, places large enough to bring the horses in with them.

Finally, after a week of horrible travel, they arrived at the port town of Osthom. They knew they'd been getting close when they'd started running into the patrols twenty miles out. Shortly after that the saltiness of the sea air started hitting their nostrils.

Osthom was an interesting city. It was probably the largest city in Marblebrooke after the capital, and had the biggest standing army. The city government was under the control of the military. The city itself had a history of being invaded by marauding Orc gangs, a few goblin raids, and even a troll invasion in the sewers once.

Just across the Parting Strait lay the Kingdom of Liratha, and the Strait was the quickest way to get from the Onyx Sea in the North to the Sapphire Ocean in the South. Ships could try to go around the two large continents, but it could literally be months out of the way. Needless to say being a port was a large part of the economy.

All kinds of sea vessels docked and traded in town. Everything from two-bit pirate vessels to diplomatic envoys. If you were looking to buy or sell anything, you could do it in Osthom.

Iados was more familiar with the Thieves' Guild.

It was an open secret that the Thieves' Guild cooperated with the military. In fact, in town the two groups were affectionally referred to as the 'Night Barony' and 'Knights of the Light', together they were the Night/Light Protectorate. Politics, city management, and large-scale militaristic maneuvers were under the purview of the Knights; while commerce, inter-city crime, and the black market was left up to the Barony. The system wasn't perfect, but it worked.

"Where do you think Caradoc is nowadays?" Kils asked as the two of them shuffled through the Gate.

A large wall lined the perimeter of the city, though it wasn't just a wall. It also served as the military's headquarters. Iados had only ever been inside a portion of it when he'd spent a few nights in a jail cell. There were three Gates into the city, though gate is a misnomer. In actuality they were half a mile long tunnels, designed to bottleneck intruders. Arrow slits lined the walls of the tunnel, and Iados counted at least four or five trap mechanisms. The wall complex was truly a masterpiece, a masterpiece that was at least four hundred years old.

"I figured we'd try the Guild headquarters first." Iados tugged at the hood covering his horns down further. He was going for an inconspicuous look, there were a few people in town that he owed money to.

"So what's this favor that Caradoc owes you anyway?" Kils led the way towards the waterfront.

Iados sighed. "It's kind of complicated. I was drinking at a local bar one night with the son of an old friend of Caradoc's. Well, somehow a bar fight broke out and I stopped it. Turned out that in the bar that night was an envoy from Liratha who'd taken a wrong turn. Caradoc was grateful to me for stopping a 'potential political incident'."

"How'd you stop the fight?"

"I made the whole building shake." Iados pointed at his horns. "Little trick thanks to my demonic heritage."

The walk to the waterfront took about thirty minutes. Street signs written in four different languages led the way to all the main spots in town. As they got closer to the waterfront, Iados started feeling nervous.

They started passing stalls selling fish so fresh that they were swimming in large tubs of seawater. One woman was using a bucket of seawater to clean out shells of various sea life. A child ran down the street, burdened with a large bucket of water. Iados eyed of all the water around him carefully.

"Kils, quick question."

"What's up?"

"Did Jahill and Awill happen to tell you why we all came ashore?" Iados moved so that his horse blocked him on one side and Kils on the other.

Kils rubbed his chin for a minute, thinking. "No, they didn't, come to think of it. I don't think I ever asked even. Should I know?"

"Probably, but I'll tell you if it comes up." Iados quickened his pace.

The Waterfront District was what the stone wharf that spanned the whole of the south-west side of town was called. From there multiple piers splintered off holding markets, harbors, docks, fisheries, everything. There were a handful of beach spots left untouched, but everything else jutted off into the water.

Coming down the end of the main drive leading to the Waterfront, a large three-story building was the first thing anyone could see. The building sat on a large rocky island about a mile from the Wharf, with a stone bridge connecting it.

Iados and Kils crossed the bridge, passing a sign that proclaimed the large building as 'Wharf Operations'. The building was made of a dark, weathered stone. There weren't many in the way of windows, but what there were tall and narrow, more akin to large arrow slits. The building had been designed to withstand ocean storms.

"You know, I don't think we can bring the horses inside." Kils commented as they drew up to the building.

"We can take them for you." Two children called, drawing their attention. They were sitting on a wooden bench next to a stone ramp that spiraled down out of sight.

"Where are you taking them?" Kils asked as he and Iados took their packs off the horses.

"There's a stable downstairs." The girl answered as she fed each horse a sugar pill. The other kid, a boy who seemed to be the oldest pulled a silver coin out of his pocket and handed it over.

"You'll need to turn this in to get the horses back. My names Gabriel, and this is Avi, if anyone asks." Gabriel handed the reins over to Avi, who led the horses down the ramp. With a nod to Kils and Iados, Gabriel went back to the bench.

"Think we'll have to pay to get them back?" Kils asked as he pocketed the silver coin.

"I'm sure we can work something out with Caradoc." Iados grinned. He walked over to the large double metal doors and knocked. On the right, a steel plate lifted up revealing a Dwarf. He sat at a large desk, his face almost completely hidden by a large beard that was decorated with a myriad of sparkling jewels.

"Business?" He asked gruffly as he pulled a piece of parchment out and inked up a quill.

"We're here to see Caradoc." Iados told him. "My name is Iados, formerly of _The Howling King_ , and this is Kilsomir."

The Dwarf hurriedly pulled out a large red leather-bound book and began consulting it. A few minutes later he looked up. "Says here that _The Howling King_ is no longer active."

"That's why I said 'formerly'." Iados flashed the Dwarf a large grin. "We just need to see Caradoc, he owes me a favor and I'm calling it in."

The Dwarf eyed them suspiciously. "Two gold will get you in the door, and ten silver will see that Caradoc receives the message. Whether or not he answers it is up to him."

"That's all we want." Iados nudged Kils and inclined his head towards the Dwarf.

"You want me to pay?" Kils whispered harshly.

"I'd pay, but Awill took the rest of my money the other night at poker."

With a silent glare at Iados, Kils handed over the money. The Dwarf offered up the parchment and quill and Iados quickly wrote out a message.

"How's Caradoc's temperament these days?" He asked as he handed the quill back.

"Lousy, his daughter's getting married." The screen slammed shut. A moment later the large metallic door was opened and the two of them quickly went inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: What a way to close out 2018! Starting next month, this story will be updated on Tuesdays instead of Thursdays, still every two weeks. My hours are changing at work. I'm excited for the next chapter. As always, feel free to leave a comment or a review, I love interacting with all of you and I do try to answer as many questions as I can. There are some I don't answer because there's a possibility they'll show up later.
> 
> Till next time!


	23. Now We're Even

**Missteps**

**Part 23 – Now We're Even**

The interior of the 'Wharf Operations' building was small, or at least the hallway was. A dark red carpet runner led the way down the dimly lit hallway. Every few feet or so stood a suit of armor, each holding a different shield. Neither he nor Kils could identify any of the crests that adorned them. Large picturesque portraits were hung in between the suits, each one of them showcasing the Wharf at different points throughout the year. In one the Wharf was covered in a heavy snowfall, with children building snowmen, while the next depicted a summer scene.

Finally they reached the end. Nestled between two ascending staircases was a desk manned by a Dwarven woman. As they approached she looked up from the book she had been writing in.

"Caradoc can't see you tonight." The woman said before pleasantries could be exchanged. "He's already scheduled for the two of you to meet with him tomorrow at noon. You will be joining him for lunch, so don't eat beforehand."

"Sounds good." Iados grinned, his default facial expression. He'd really hoped to get the business finished today and be out of town tonight.

"Don't suppose we could bum a room off you tonight?" Kils asked, leaning forward onto the desk.

"I'm afraid not," the Dwarf looked down at her book. "All of our rooms are full at the moment, and seeing as you're not current members of either Guild," she looked up at them with a narrowed expression. "You are not entitled to housing under our roof."

"Could we at least leave our horses in your stable? It's already late afternoon, I don't suspect we don't have much time left to find lodging for ourselves, let alone our horses." Iados could feel the charm coming off Kils as the Cleric flashed a toothy grin down at the Dwarf. She didn't look very impressed, but sighed nonetheless.

"Go ahead, most of our occupants don't have horses so we have room." She scribbled something down on a piece of parchment. "It'll be 10 silver a day, per horse."

"Isn't that a little steep?" This time it was Iados who oozed the charm. "Anyway to lower that down to say, 3 silver a day?"

The Dwarf didn't smile. "I can go as low as 6 silver, which is a generous offer for non-Guild members."

"Sounds like a fair price to me, how about you Kils?"

"I don't know, I bet she can go lower." Kils gave a hearty laugh.

"I won't go any lower, but I can go higher." Finally the Dwarf gave a wicked grin that made Kils shut up. As the Cleric reached down for his money pouch, he caught Iados's hand already in it.

Kils didn't say anything, just wrenched the Tiefling's hand out and handed over the coin to the Dwarf.

"Any lodging recommendations?" Iados asked as he inspected his hand, certain he'd been given a bruise.

"There may be a few rooms left at the Inns closer to the Wall." The Dwarf dropped the coins into something out of sight. "Most of the establishments near the Waterfront and government buildings are full."

"Any special reason?" Kils asked.

"Not really, just a delegation from Liratha. Word is that they're headed to Silverbank to renew some trade deals." The Dwarf looked at the two of them and shooed them away.

Taking the hint, the two males headed back down the hallway and out of the building.

"That went a lot better than I expected." Kils announced as they started out over the bridge. "I half expected for Caradoc to answer the note with 'Who's this'?" He gave a hearty laugh.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get everything accomplished tomorrow and we can head back." Iados took up a brisk pace, one that Kils didn't match.

"What's your hurry?" The Cleric asked as he took note of the gap between the two of them.

"I don't want to sleep in a ditch." A forced laugh accompanied the lie.

Kils stopped dead. "Alright, what's going on?"

"Nothing," Iados lied. "I just want to get to an inn, that's all." Judging by Kils' stare, he wasn't buying the story. Iados sighed. "Listen, let's just get off this bridge, and I'll explain, I promise."

"You've been antsy ever since we got to town." Kils observed as they started walking again. "Why?"

"Let's just say there are some people I don't want to run into." Iados could feel the hairs on the back of his neck start to rise. He stopped and looked around nervously. "Crap."

"What's wrong?" Kils' voice was full of concern. A moment later his question was answered as someone further up the bridge suddenly screamed. The two of them turned to look at the source, and they saw it.

Rising up from the water below was a column of water. With a crash the column swept onto the bridge before coming together and forming a vague humanoid shape. The watery figure swept its head back and forth, looking at everyone on the bridge, before it focused on Iados.

"Iados, why is the Water Elemental looking at you?" Kils asked. As a general rule, pirates learn to identify water elementals pretty quickly; they make good guard dogs.

"It is a very long story. Let's just say that it wants to take me somewhere, and I really don't want to go." Iados tried not to let the fear he felt enter his voice. He was already drawing his sword. "Just get ready for a fight."

Kils took a step in front of Iados as he reached up and clutched his Holy Symbol. His form flickered and suddenly a few feet away was an illusionary double of himself. "Does it want you alive?"

"I hope so." Iados settled himself down in a defensive stance. He was keenly aware of how hard it was to fight these things. Last time he'd done so, even Awill had had trouble landing a blow. As he wracked his brain trying to form a plan, the elemental charged.

Kils waited till the elemental was near his duplicate. The elemental didn't even register the duplicate though as it crashed through the illusion. As the illusion was engulfed, Kils let off a _Word of Radiance_. A bright light shone out, partially dimmed by the water. The only sign that the elemental was affected was a brief pause in its charge.

"I am so not equipped to handle this thing!" Kils yelled, devastated to see his spell have almost no affect. Taking a few more steps backward he hurriedly pulled his shortbow and nocked an arrow.

"Why do you think I was walking so fast?" Iados took off in a dead run down the bridge. Hopefully he could keep it away from Kils at the very least. The pedestrian traffic that had been on the bridge were wisely vacating the area as fast as possible.

Suddenly Iados felt a wave crash into him from behind, a wave that then immediately began pulling him back. Using all his strength, he just barely managed to break the elementals hold on him and skip just out of reach.

Out of the corner of his eye, Iados saw an arrow fly over the elementals head, following it as it disappeared over the bridge. He heard Kils curse.

"Don't you know how to use a bow?" Iados yelled out at the Cleric as he struck out with his sword. He wasn't just going to play keep-away with the elemental. As the shortsword passed harmlessly through the elemental though, his confidence wavered. Backing off, he took off again down the bridge.

If running was the best idea, he had to decide whether to take his chances with an in-town chase, or to keep the elemental on the bridge and hope for a miracle. He heard Lia's voice in his head, telling him not to involve civilians.

With thoughts crowding his mind, he didn't notice the elemental catch up. Once again Iados was overwhelmed by the watery nature of the elemental, and once again he fought his way out. This time when he emerged, he was facing Kils.

Illusion-Kils was running towards Iados as the Real-Kils let fly another arrow. This time the arrow struck the elemental, and passed through harmlessly to the other side.

"Don't let it tag you!" Kils yelled to the soaked Iados.

"Really? Is that the plan?" Iados gritted as he swung out again with his sword. Once again the sword passed through to no effect, and he ran. Why couldn't Lia or someone with better magic than Kils have been with him? He stole a glance at the Guild building, wishing for some help from them.

The elemental surged forward, this time forming two very large watery fists. Iados easily ducked under the first fist, but the second one caught him between the shoulder blades. He hit the ground with a meaty thud, his chin scraping the wet stones.

The illusion popped itself inside the elemental, and Kils let off another _Word of Radiance_. Since his arrows weren't working, he might as well try his magic again.

Iados climbed to his feet quickly, keenly aware that the elemental was just over his shoulder. A small, yellow beam of light whizzed by his ear and a yellow bead hung in the air in front of him.

"Run you damn Tiefling!" An old gnarled voice yelled from behind Iados. Iados didn't pause to question the voice as he took off running away from the bead.

He was just barely out of range when the bead exploded with a _Fireball_. The entire area around the elemental was engulfed in smoke.

Iados and Kils watched the smoke, praying that that was enough to end the ordeal. That hope was shattered as the elemental surged out of the smoke cloud. Its form about a third smaller than it had been, but still strong and focused on Iados.

"Who the hell did you piss off?" Kils asked Iados as the double moved into the elementals space once again and radiated. As the light died down this time, the duplicate was gone. Iados didn't answer.

On the other side of the bridge, an old, grizzled man with a short gray beard wearing a finely cut and adorned mauve robe was shuffling closer to the fray. He held a tall silver staff that was topped with a blue crystal.

Iados could see the smile on the old wizards face as he pulled a diamond and small statuette out of his satchel. He closed his eyes and began chanting a spell. Black ribbons of magic formed and began to surround the statuette in his hands.

"Kils, I think he's trying to imprison the elemental." Iados said incredulously as he stared at the familiar magic.

"Imprison? That takes time." Kils stared past the elemental, and he too recognized the spell being cast.

"How much time?" Iados was getting tired. His soaked clothing was starting to weigh him down.

"Too much." Kils let loose another arrow as Iados ran to the side. This time the arrow hit a solid mass within the elemental, before it was sucked into its whirling mass.

So far the best way to buy the old mage time was to play keep-away with the elemental. Iados took off the down bridge again, leading the elemental back towards the muttering mage. The elemental didn't appear to even notice the spellcaster as it chased the Tiefling.

The elemental quickly overtook the Tiefling, _Whelm_ ing him again. This time Iados didn't have the strength to fight against the current of the elemental. The current battered his whole torso and he felt the air be literally squeezed out of him. He lost consciousness as water began to fill his lungs.

When Iados came to, he was freezing. Kils was above him, his hands glowing.

"Oh, thank you Istus." Kils muttered as Iados opened his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Cold, weak, mainly cold. Is this what death feels like?" Iados's teeth were chattering as Kils helped him sit up.

"That's what ice feels like, death is a blissful nothing." The old voice said from behind him.

"What the hell are you doing here Orbris?" Iados's mouth fell open in shock as he got a good look at his rescuer. "I thought you would've died of old age by now."

"Magic is a great tool for prolonging the inevitable." Orbris leaned heavily on his staff as he grinned down at Iados. "It appears that the rumors surrounding the fate of _The Howling King_ have some merit."

"Unfortunately." Iados stood up. He heard clanging coming from the guild house behind him. Now they decided to take action. "Listen, I really don't want to try to explain this to the Guild, and I'd like to get off this bridge and away from water before another elemental shows up."

"Say no more." Orbris stamped his staff on the ground, and instantly the three of them had teleported away. They showed up in the middle of a circle inside a room. The room was surrounded by books. The walls were nothing but shelving, each one crammed with all different sizes and bindings of books. There even some scrolls and loose pieces of paper crammed into nooks and crannies. Stacks littered the room outlining walkways to a bed, an armchair, a small desk, and a wooden box with a lid.

"Where are we?" Kils asked. Orbris didn't answer as he shuffled to the bed and sat down heavily.

"I'll let the girl explain. I need rest." The old wizard pulled out a small bag from his satchel. Opening it, he took a long sniff that immediately caused him to sneeze.

Instantaneously, Orbris's form changed. Gone was the grizzled old man, now in the mauve robe was a young girl. Her brilliantly red hair was tied off in a rough ponytail, with escaped strands framing her face. Her skin was a glowing, amber hue, and her green eyes sparkled.

"That's better." The girl replaced the small pouch, then stood up and stretched. The robe fit her form just as well as it had fit Orbris's. She skipped briskly over to Iados. "Good to see you made it out alive."

"Who are you? What happened to Orbris?" Iados looked over at Kils, who seemed to be just as confused as him.

"He's still here," The girl pointed at her head. "He's actually giving me a quick run-down of what happened. You look like a soaked cat, follow me." She smiled and led the way to a wall where a trapdoor was situated on the floor. The three of them climbed down a small wooden ladder to the floor below.

"Who are you?" Kils asked. The room below seemed to be a small kitchenette. Multiple crates and chests littered the room.

"My name is Xiladdic Pemsod." The girl answered as she opened a chest and began rifling through the clothes within it. "I used to be a student at the Sylph Heart Circle."

"Used to be?" Iados caught the pants and shirt that Xiladdic tossed him before she moved on to another chest. He started to change.

"How well do you know Orbris?" Xiladdic asked as she rummaged.

"We served on The Howling King together for a year and half." Iados really hoped he could keep the clothes. They were soft and finely made, and most importantly warm. "When he left he said he was in search of youth."

"Well, he found it." Xiladdic heaved a heavy sigh and brought over a dark green cloak with golden stitching. "This is the only cloak I can find. Orbris is screaming that I shouldn't give it to you, so here. Keep it." Xiladdic shoved the cloak into Iados's hands, then went over to the small kitchen area and began making some tea.

"You two don't get along, do you?" Kils grinned. His face suddenly fell as he started patting his pockets. He darted upstairs.

"You wouldn't either if you were forced to share a body with him." Xiladdic yelled after him.

"How'd this happen?" Iados settled himself down in a chair. The weight of the cloak was heavy, and kind of tingled.

"He made a wish with an Efreeti." A loud crashing sound came from upstairs. Xiladdic didn't seem concerned. "Are you familiar with Efreeti's?"

Iados shook his head.

"Are you familiar with Djinn at all?"

"Of course."

"Well Efreeti are a type of Djinn that are typically evil. Therefore you have to be extra careful when you make a wish with one."

"I'm going to guess that Orbris wasn't careful?"

The girl passed a cup over to Iados. "He wished for 'youth for himself'. Obviously he wanted his physical body to be made youthful again. He didn't convey this to the Efreeti though. So, the Efreeti granted his wish, with me."

Iados paused in the middle of his sip. "You're the 'youth', that he wished for."

"Yep. We inhabit one body, and as the years go by Orbris still ages and I do not." Xiladdic settled herself down in a chair. "For some weird reason, we switch places when we sneeze. He's still present though, I can hear his thoughts and he can sense everything through my senses. However, when he's in charge, I'm not present. It's like I'm trapped in this void of nothing."

Kils came back down and sat down heavily next to Xiladdic. She wordlessly pushed a cup towards him.

"What's wrong?" Iados really liked the tea. He thought it might have been jasmine.

"We left our packs on the bridge, and the money Jahill gave us." Kils sighed heavily and took a large gulp of tea.

"Maybe the Guild will find them and hold'em for us when we show up for the meeting tomorrow."

"More than likely they'll use the money to repair the bridge. Sell everything else they can for repairs as well." Xiladdic patted Kils shoulder comfortingly.

"What exactly happened? The last thing I remember is being drowned by the elemental."

"I tried to pull you out, but failed." Kils straightened up. "The elemental summoned this water sprout, like the kind it appeared in."

"Orbris said it was a kind of teleportation magic." Xiladdic explained. "He really wanted to trap the elemental, to use it as minion since it was obviously strong. However, he didn't want to let it escape either. Said he owed you a favor. You guys are even now, by the way."

"Good to know." Iados nodded.

"So Orbris threw out some freezing spell, which froze part of the ocean, the water column, and the elemental. He about got me in it as well." Kils ran a hand through his hair. "The elemental broke out of the ice, and just summoned up another water column right next to the first. That's when the old man pointed at it, said a word I couldn't understand, and made the creature pop like a balloon."

" _Power Word Kill_ , very powerful." Xiladdic sipped her tea. "He's upset that he wasted four spells on the elemental. Of course, if he'd had it his way he wouldn't have helped you at all."

"Explain?" Iados downed the last of his cup. It seemed that the longer time went by, the worse the tingling on the cloak got. It wasn't a bad sort of tingling either, just strange.

"I was in charge, and we were headed down to Pier 8. They'd gotten a new shipment of rare books in. Naturally when I heard the scream I had to investigate. Even after recognizing you, Orbris said that you could handle yourself. When it became very obvious that you couldn't, I threatened to read a spell out of his spellbook myself if he didn't help you."

"How is that a threat?" Iados asked.

"I'm nowhere near Orbris's level, and if I were to use one of the more powerful spells in his spellbook, I'd have to use it as if it were a spell scroll. Meaning, once I read out the spell, it would disappear from his book. It literally took the old man two lifetimes to collect his spells and he's very possessive of them."

"What are we going to do about Caradoc?" Kils asked. "There's no way he's going to do business with us now that we don't have any money and we've hurt their bridge. I didn't get a good look at it, but on the surface it looked like that _Fireball_ didn't do it any favors."

"What kind of business were you trying to do with Caradoc?" Xiladdic asked with a head tilt. Kils explained about the trouble in Esterwill, and their small contingent of orphans.

"We're just trying to survive the winter, and that money was going to help."

Xiladdic tapped her chin for a moment before she stood up. "We might be able to help, but it's going to take some convincing. Wait here." She disappeared upstairs, closing the trapdoor behind her.

As soon as the door was shut Kils rounded on Iados.

"I want the full story, now."

And so Iados told Kils everything about the final treasure hunt of _The Howling King._

Kils and Iados talked most of the night. It was usually Kils grilling Iados on more specific details. Iados cooked a simple meal in the kitchenette for the two of them. The conversation wasn't limited to only The Howling King. Lia and their relationship seemed to be a topic of interest for Kils. Eventually the two of them fell asleep on the rough wooden floor.

They didn't see Xiladdic or Orbris for the rest of the night.

The next morning they were awakened by the smell of cooking meats. Xiladdic was preparing a hearty meal for them. Meat, eggs, bread, and a morning mead.

"It took most of the night and some tough bargaining, but I managed to convince Orbris." Xiladdic informed them as she set down plates at the small table.

"Convince Orbris of what?" Iados asked around a piece of sausage. It was delicious, flavorful, and its juice ran down his chin.

"We're going to return with you to the encampment." Xiladdic settled herself down with her own plate. "Orbris has a spell that will solve the winter issue, and I convinced him that it'd be a good idea to leave town and hunker down for a while. The Night/Light Protectorate really hate mages who cause structural damage, especially with visiting dignitaries in town."

"Great, we can leave this afternoon. We'll have to figure out a way to get our horses back from the Guild." Kils was digging into his food with just as much enthusiasm as Iados.

"Orbris doesn't want to risk taking Iados outside as long as the air smells of sea salt. Inside this tower there are protections that keep us safe." Xiladdic pointed a sausage at Iados accusingly. "He's already suggested we teleport instead."

"But he's never been to the encampment." Kils' face screwed up in confusion.

"True, but he's been through Rocklyn and the area several times. He's very well-traveled, there aren't many places that he's hasn't been to at least once." Xiladdic shrugged. "We'll need your help packing up the books upstairs and stowing these chests."

The three of them quickly finished eating and then got to the business of packing. Xiladdic pulled a small folded black piece of cloth out of the satchel. As she unfolded it, it got bigger and bigger until it took up a large chunk of floor space. At her orders, the boys dropped the chests in. Iados recognized the item for what it was, but Kils was amazed.

"It's called a Portable Hole." Xiladdic explained as she shut Kils open mouth with her finger. "Orbris has a lot of cool toys, most of which are in these chests." After they finished with the chests and the fabric was folded up again they all went upstairs. This time Xiladdic fished two empty packs from under the bed and handed one to both of the boys.

"Be careful putting the books in, some of them bite." Xiladdic herself went over to the desk and began arranging writing and other arcane supplies in a large sack. The boys soon found out that the bags were able to hold quite a lot. Once again it was Iados who recognized them as Bags of Holding. Tales of strange arcane objects were always being told in the dead of night aboard The Howling King, usually by the Captain.

Orbris emerged later on to grill Iados about Rocklyn. He wanted to know how it had changed and if the same landmarks were still there or not. Iados took the opportunity to ask his own question.

He dug out the Holy Symbol out of his pocket and showed it to Orbris.

"Why the hell are you carrying around the symbol of Vecna?" Orbris grumbled as he looked from the symbol to Iados and back again. "You didn't join up with them, did you?"

"No," Iados sighed and put the Holy Symbol away. "I found it in a tomb with a dead Head Priest."

"Why the hell did you take it?"

Iados shrugged. "Thought I could sell it."

"Good luck trying to sell that." Orbris shuffled off and sat at the desk, consulting a very large tome.

"Trying to sell what?" Kils asked, walking by with a large armful of books.

Iados pulled out the Symbol and showed him.

"Wow, Vecna." Kils whistled. "You better hope an actual follower doesn't catch you with that."

"What do you mean an actual follower?"

Kils set down the stack and took the Symbol from Iados. "See how the pupil has been marked with an 'x'?"

Iados took the Holy Symbol back and looked at it closer. In all honesty, the thing freaked him out. Vecna's symbol wa

s his eye held in his left hand, and it's not a particularly healthy looking hand, kind of skeletal. Now that it was pointed out though, Iados could see the marks of an 'X' through the pupil of the eyeball.

"So, this isn't an actual Holy Symbol for Vecna?" Iados asked softly. He didn't want to admit it, but he'd been beginning to think that somehow Lia was connected to Vecna. He vividly remembered the cruelty's he'd witnessed at the hands of Vecna's followers before, and he never wanted to associate them with Lia. Unlike them, she valued life and had an actual heart rather than blind devotion.

Kils shrugged and got back to work.

With a short break for lunch, they were finally ready to leave. All that remained in the tower was the few bits of furniture and a magic circle engraved on the floor. Iados and Kils, each with a pack on their shoulders, huddled next to Orbris. The old wizard slammed his staff on the ground, and with an instantaneous whoosh they suddenly stood in the middle of Rocklyn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope all of you enjoyed this latest installment. We've got one more chapter left with Iados, so look forward to it!
> 
> Till next time!


	24. Something You Should Know

**Missteps**

**Part 24 – Something You Should Know**

With barely even a spark of light, Kils, Iados, and Orbris appeared in Rocklyn. With a quick sneeze, Orbris switched places with Xiladdic, who then immediately wrapped a scarf around her nose and mouth. Kils and Xiladdic went to the local general store to get supplies for the short hike to the encampment (Xiladdic was ecstatic about spending Orbris's money). Iados stopped in at the Inn.

"You're alive!" Steffan the bartender yelled as Iados walked in.

"I'm actually rather hard to kill." Iados and Steffan shared a quick hug and Steffan poured him a mug.

"I got a message from Lia a week ago, telling me that she'd found you. Said that the two of you had found a group in need and were going to help out."

Iados was glad that she seemed to have the sense not to mention that the group was full of former pirates. "I'm actually returning from a supply trip. Did she ever make it back up here to get her pack?"

Steffan shook his head. "Nope, but don't worry we're hanging onto it. Got it tucked away in a back room."

"Do you mind if I take it? I'm headed out to meet her."

"No problem." Steffan took off and a few minutes later came back out with Lia's pack. "Tell Lia sorry for me."

"For what?" Iados took the pack and sneaked a look inside. He saw that the journal was still in there.

"When my wife collected the pack, a Dwarven cookbook fell out. She's been using it to cook up new recipes for the inn." Steffan rubbed his head sheepishly. "We've been getting more and more of a Dwarven crowd lately."

"Really, what's going on?" Iados had almost finished his drink.

"There's talk of building a main road that connects all seven of the main cities in Marblebrooke. Of course if you're going to build something like a road, you always go to the Dwarves first."

"But there's already a road. I just took it to Osthom."

"That's a trade road between Osthom and Dayur. Over the years small trade roads and local roads have been created, but never a Kingdom-wide system." Steffan gave a wide smile. "With this new road system, it'll make trade so much easier. Maybe I'll finally get to travel up to Winter Horn."

Iados finished his drink and stood up. "Well I wish you good luck with the road, and the cookbook. You'll probably get more use out of it." They exchanged goodbyes and Iados left. Not too soon after, the trio left the town and headed towards the encampment.

It took a couple of days, but they reached the camp quickly. Their arrival back was not a quiet affair as a group of kids took it upon themselves to announce them.

"Didn't we send you with horses?" Jahill asked he and Awill approached the group.

"We ran into a complication." Kils started in on an explanation of all that happened. Iados stopped listening halfway through as he caught sight of Lia.

She was coming out of the forest along with two men. Both men held swords at their waists. Lia's arm was no longer in a sling, but it was still heavily bandaged. Her good arm had a shield strapped to it, along with a staff held in her hand.

"Lia!" Iados yelled out. Her face broke out into a wide smile as she saw him. Quickly abandoning her companions, she ran to meet him.

"When did you get back?" She asked.

"Just now. What were you doing in the forest?"

"We just back from patrol. While you were gone we had another run-in with the goblins I'd met. No one was hurt, but with the kids we're being cautious."

"Sounds like you've been busy. What's with staff?" Now that Iados could get a closer look, it was an unusual staff. The wood was twisted, coming to a kind of bulbous top. The wood itself seemed to be a mixture of light and dark, but he wasn't able to tell what kind of wood.

Lia's eyes twinkled. "It's called a _Staff of the Woodlands_. I found it on patrol a couple of days ago." She gently stroked the wood. "I heard it calling out to me, and it led me to this beautiful oak tree. It was the only tree in the area that still had all its leaves. When I touched it, I felt the magic radiating in it. It took a while, but eventually it told me its command word and I was able to transform it back into a staff."

"Wow, does it do anything besides turn into a tree?"

"Yep, but I'm still learning. Now, what is this cloak you're wearing?" Lia reached out and fingered the soft material of the dark cloak.

"Xiladdic gave it to me. It's a _Cloak of Elvenkind_. I actually only got it so she could piss off Orbris, not that I'm complaining." Iados spread the cloak out and showed Lia the golden designs. The tingling sensation had stopped while Iados and Kils were talking that night in the tower. Somehow the cloak had bonded with Iados. When he brought it up with Xiladdic later, she informed him that the correct term was 'attuned'.

"Hey, will you come walk with me? There's actually something I want to talk about." Iados asked Lia.

"Sure." Lia smiled brightly and the two of them walked into the forest. It was only mid-afternoon and even though the wind could be a bit brisk, temperature wise it was pleasant. Iados told her about Xiladdic and Orbris as they walked, finishing up as they reached the river.

They settled themselves down on a couple of large rocks. Silence hung in the air for a few minutes as Iados figured out how to start.

"Lia, I like you." He finally admitted. "I like how you see the world, I like the fire in your eyes when you set your mind to a task. I'm comfortable around you, and I look forward to a future with you."

"I like you too." Lia laughed softly.

"Good, but there's a problem. I don't trust you."

Lia's smiled dropped.

"You're hiding something, something big enough that you can't even write home about it. I'm usually alright with people keeping their secrets to themselves, but the last time someone hid something big from me, it changed my life. And not for the better." Iados stared Lia right in the eye. "I need to know what's going on." He pulled out the Holy Symbol and held it up. "It has to do with this, right?"

Lia reached out and took the Holy Symbol from Iados, not saying a word. She traced the symbol with her finger, including the 'x' Iados noticed.

"Kils' says that's not really Vecna's symbol, something about the pupil being crossed out." Iados reached over, grabbed Lia's pack, and pulled out the journal. He flipped a few pages before he came across a drawing of the same symbol in the journal. He pointed out the 'x' in the journal drawing. "What is it?"

Lia was quiet. She didn't make eye contact with Iados, all she did was stare down at the Holy Symbol in her hands.

"I was an unwanted child." She finally admitted. "My parents only wanted sons, so to them having a daughter was nothing more than a nuisance. I was something that was shoved aside and forgotten about. My brothers emulated my parent's behavior towards me, so I grew up alone. The only person in the world who acknowledged me, was my Uncle Himo.

"One day, he walked in, picked me up, and carried me to his house. He told me that from then on, I was his. His home was my home." Lia's tone was wistful as she spoke. Iados yearned to ask her what this had to do with Vecna, but he didn't want her to stop talking.

"Himo started teaching me about what it meant to be a Druid. How they were the protectors of the natural order, charged with keeping the balance of the elements. Druids are the voice of nature when nature cannot speak for itself. Himo gave me a purpose in life, he was my protector, my mentor. He's the most important person in my life. All I wanted to do was to make him proud, and follow in his footsteps."

Lia took a shaky breath. "On the day I turned one hundred, the day when I was finally recognized as an adult, I was inducted as a full member of the Elder Door Sanctum. That night, Himo took me down into the basement. There's a beautiful tapestry down there, full of life and color. I'd always wondered why such a piece of art was relegated to the darkness. Himo swept the tapestry aside, and that was when I saw this symbol for the first time.

"It'd been carved into the stone. Himo cut his finger, and pressed his blood into the mark. The mark itself glowed, and the light radiated out to form a door. Himo opened it and we stepped through." Lia's hands clenched around the Symbol, her knuckles turning white. "On the other side stood my brother and several other high-ranking members of the Sanctum. They were all wearing black robes, with that symbol blazoned on them. My brother handed my Uncle a robe, this one with a red trim around the edges. He turned to me, and spoke.

"He told me how the Elder Door Sanctum was merely a cover, a disguise for their true name. They called themselves the Keepers of the Forbidden Lore. They sought to protect the world from itself. They're mission was to collect artifacts and spells and lore that was too harmful, too dangerous. Magic that could be used to wreck untold destruction and pain to the races of the world. That I could understand. Then he said, that they did it all in the name of Vecna."

Lia gritted her teeth and had to take several deep breaths before she could continue. Her eyes had gone hard and her fist shook as she continued clenching the Holy Symbol.

"They worshipped Vecna, not as the God of Evil, but only as the God of Secrets. He said that they rejected the evil parts, keeping only the parts that wished to save the world from itself. Their beliefs put them at odds with the followers of Vecna who did follow him as the God of Evil. They had to hide, to protect themselves. Himo walked over to a chest then, and pulled out a black robe. He held it out to me, told me take it, to wear it, and to take the vows. To pledge loyalty to Vecna, the God of Secrets, and to swear to uphold the mission of the Keepers."

"I didn't know what to do. All around me were the eyes of people who had been my teachers, who just a few hours before had welcomed me into the Sanctum. I looked at Himo, and he had the same proud look in his eyes as he'd had when I'd take the Sanctum vows. I trusted Himo, he was my mentor, my protector, my father. I didn't want to disappoint him.

"My hands were shaking as I took the robe from him. I didn't want to disappoint him, but I also didn't want to swear fealty to a God who up to then I'd only known as an Evil God. Swearing loyalty and fealty to a God like Vecna, wasn't something you can take back later. My hands were shaking so bad, the world started to tilt and twist as I wrestled with the decision. I don't even remember falling unconscious.

Lia's grip loosened and she let out a heavy sigh. She hung her head. "When I came to, I was tucked into my own bed, Himo by my side asleep in a chair. I just sat there, for a long time, thinking. I thought about what I'd learned the previous night, and I came to a realization. My entire life he'd trained me to be a part of the organization. I learned the languages he'd wanted me to learn, studied lore and legends of the past where the world was harmed in some way. I realized, I had a decision to make. Do I do what he wanted me to do, and take the vow and work for him for the rest of my life? Or, do I try to find my own path?

"I opted for door number two. Quietly I packed a bag, and left my Uncle's house. I spent the next twenty-four years flitting from one relationship to the next. These relationships gave me a place to live, companionship, and an opportunity for new experiences as they showed me their lives."

Lia turned her and looked at Iados, with a sad smile. "Something you should probably realize about elves, is that if we're not careful, time can pass very quickly. We can easily live to be seven hundred years old, and when we're with our own kind, days stretch into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. It's really only when we come into contact with races who don't have such long lifespans that we pay attention to the passage of time. Like nature, we don't really count the years as they pass by, we just acknowledge that they do and continue living.

"So even though it was for twenty-four years that I ran away from my Uncle and the Sanctum, it felt much less than that. My brother, Hadarai, tracked me down a few times and tried to convince me to return. I turned him down every time and went to whatever activity caught my eye next."

"What finally made you stop?" Iados had his legs crossed on the stone and was listening intently.

"I woke up one morning, covered in my boyfriend's blood." Lia stood up and stretched. "I had no memory of the previous night, all I knew was that my boyfriend's throat had been cut and I was lying in bed with his corpse. I ran to get help. Seeing that I was the only one with him that night, and they found a knife on the floor just under the bed, they concluded that I was to blame. I was in jail for eleven months.

"Sitting in a cold cell, for the first time, time slowed down. I didn't have any distractions, nothing to stop me from finally confronting everything. So, I thought. Hadarai visited me a few times, telling me that he and Himo were working to clear my name. I asked him some questions about the Keepers, about how the worshipping of Vecna worked, and some more of the history. He answered everything, but it wasn't enough for me. The answers he gave were vague preaches and promises. He didn't know where everything was kept after it was collected, or who had access to it. He even admitted to me, that there were some who'd turned to the Evil side of Vecna and were thrown out.

"I eventually came to two conclusions about the whole thing. 1) The order didn't seem as high and mighty had Himo had made it seem that night, and 2) it wasn't for me. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that you could just pick and choose the parts of a deity you wanted to worship. To me, the deity's seemed to be an all or nothing kind of deal."

"Maybe you can talk to Elaine about it when we meet up." Iados suggested, and Lia nodded.

"I'll do that. So anyway, finally Himo and Hadarai were able to prove my innocence. I'd been set up by the ex-girlfriend I'd replaced. She'd had a mental break shortly after the breakup, and confessed to it when she'd recovered. Himo was waiting for me when Hadarai brought me home. He suggested that I get out of town for a while, let the rumor mills die down. To that end, he gave me a job for the Sanctum. He promised me that it had nothing to do with the Keepers. You can see how well that turned out." Lia held up the Symbol.

"What did you really learn from the journal?"

"That there were more than a few bad eggs within the Keepers. Himo had sent the book away with the Head Priest to keep it out of their hands. He was running out of people he could trust, and the artifact hidden at the Settlement was one of the most dangerous things they'd run across. The Head Priest had transcribed some of Himo's letters in the journal. Himo had mentioned me a few times, how he wanted me to bring me into the fold and entrust the mission of the Keepers to me."

"A big responsibility for something you don't believe in."

"That's just the thing Iados, I do believe in it. I do believe that there are some magic's out there that are too dangerous."

"Isn't that what the Circle does? Hunt down dangerous magic? Why not leave it to them?"

"The Circle's main purpose is study. Sure they destroy dangerous artifacts, but not before they dissect them and learn how they work. Some of the most dangerous spells that the Keepers have hidden away came out of the Circle's experiments. The Keepers do serve a purpose, I just can't condone in whose name they do it in. Why do they have to do it in Vecna's name? Why in anyone's name? I want to just sit down with Himo and ask him these questions, force him to give me the real answers."

"What's stopping you?"

Lia sat down heavily. "I'm afraid. For so long Himo has been this larger-than-life figure to me. I'm seriously doubting his teachings, his love for me. Iados, he was the first person in my life to make me feel loved. I want to believe that his love for me is real, but what if I was just a pawn in all this? A piece he molded to fit a part?"

Iados stood up and knelt down in front of Lia. "Then screw him. Take what he taught you, and become better. Find the answers for yourself, and when you're stronger confront him. I'll be right by your side when you do." Iados covered her hand with his.

Lia smiled and leaned her head down to rest against his forehead. "Thank you."

Iados leaned back. "I have to say, that was a lot more than I was expecting."

"Yeah, sorry for just unloading like that." Lia smiled sheepishly. "I've been wanting to tell you for a while, and I knew that eventually I'd have to tell the group, I just didn't know how."

"Well, speaking of information that the group should probably know, I've got a secret of my own." Iados settled himself back down on his stone.

"Is it about the last person who kept a secret from you?"

He nodded. "It was my old captain, Captain Eldon. He'd been captain of _The Howling King_ for over thirty years. He considered every man, and occasional woman, who was part of his crew, part of his family as well. He taught me how the world worked outside of Esterwill. All of us followed him faithfully, and without doubt.

"About a year and a half ago, we came across a solid jade key. The moment the Captain laid his eyes on it, he couldn't tear his gaze away. That key was why he'd gone to sea in the first place. He'd spent his whole life practically searching for that key. He said that the key unlocked wishes. That's when he showed us a map that had been left to him by a relative.

"The map led the way to a city that'd been buried by the ocean centuries ago. Captain Eldon proclaimed it to be his final treasure hunt, and all of us were excited to help his dreams come true." Iados picked a rock up off the ground and through it into the river. "The Captain nearly bankrupted himself buying magic potions enough for us all to breathe and swim underwater. He wanted us by his side, and we were honored to be there."

"The city itself was gorgeous. Most of the buildings were still intact, and all worn smooth by the water. If you can believe it, there was an underwater waterfall smack dab in the middle of the city. Colorful coral and the most beautiful fish I've ever seen had taken root and made the city their home. Even underwater and abandoned by its people, the city seemed full of life.

"On the outskirts of the city was a large temple. When we tried to enter it, we discovered that the doors were locked, magically. Captain Eldon had planned for this, and easily opened it. That was only the beginning. We had to be on guard as we headed for the inner chamber, there seemed to be half a dozen traps. We lost a few crew members to the traps, some of the most complex traps we'd ever seen. I'm surprised more of us didn't die.

"Finally we met it to the inner chamber. The chamber was large, with a vaulted ceiling that was so high we couldn't see the top. The room was large enough, that we could have fit our whole ship in the room. Sitting along the far wall, was a large golden birdcage with a jade lock and chains encircling it."

"A birdcage?" Lia's eyebrow went up.

"It looked like a birdcage, but the main point was that it was very large, locked, and occupied." Iados shook his head. "Inside, sitting on a bed of pristine pillows, was a blue-skinned woman. Her eyes were large with only prinpricks for pupils floating in a milky sea. She had finned ears and spikes jutting her from head, reminiscent of a crown. Silver hair floated around her, because we were still underwater. She was dressed in large white pantaloons, and deep green vest that was secured only above her bosom. Multiple rings set with large jewels adorned her fingers, lavish earrings hung from multiple points of her ears, a large pendant from a choker at her neck, and around her waist was a golden sash. She was gorgeous, and she knew it. She was also very large. When she stood up, she was easily fifteen feet tall, if not more.

"When she spoke, it was like the sea itself was cresting over my ears." Iados looked over and saw Lia's disbelieving face. "I know it sounds weird, but I swear that's what it was like."

"She asked us why we had come such a long way. Captain Eldon walked forward and brought out the jade key. Her gaze immediately locked onto it, and she grinned. 'I take it you want to make a deal in exchange for my freedom?'." Iados had raised his voice trying to make it sound more feminine. "The Captain nodded, and she replied that a deal could be made. So, the Captain unlocked her cage. He was shaking as he walked up to it. Several members of the crew, including myself and Awill, were muttering that we should make the deal before the cage was unlocked. It was Jahill who told us to have faith in the Captain.

"All the Captain had to do was insert the key, and the chains and lock began to crumble into dust. Starting from the top, the entirety of the cage dissolved into little beads of light until there was nothing holding the woman any longer. She took a step forward, and as she did her form shrank until she was much shorter, now around six feet. For a few minutes she just walked around, a large smile on her face. Finally Captain Eldon cleared his throat and drew her attention.

"'The deal'? He reminded her, and she clapped her hands. 'Of course, your deal. Here it is, in exchange for freeing me, I'll allow you and your crew to live.' Captain Eldon sputtered, 'But that's not what I want!'. Meanwhile, the rest of us were all very flustered. We never went anywhere without expecting a fight, but we had no idea what this woman could do.

"But all the woman did was to flit over to Captain Eldon, kneel down to his height, and smile serenely. 'If you want, we could make another deal. There'd be a price of course. Tell me your wish.' The Captain said, 'I wish to be reunited with my wife and son.'" Iados sighed. "None of us could blame him for that. We all knew that he blamed himself for their deaths. The woman reached out and stroked the side of his face. 'That can easily be done. The price though would be rather steep.' The Captain said he'd pay anything. She stood up, faced us, and counted. 'Your price, are the lives of the twenty-three members of your crew here before me.'

"Immediately we all started to back up. Jahill yelled out to the Captain that it was too much, that we should leave. Captain Eldon wasn't even looking at us. I don't remember him saying the words, but he accepted her deal. She got a very smug expression on her face as she summoned a trident to her hand. Kneeling next to the Captain, she said he'd made a smart decision, and she'd reunite him with his family. Then she speared him through the back, the prongs of the weapon jutting out of his chest." Iados gave a heavy sigh as the image of his beloved Captain entered his mind.

"She touched the pendant at her neck, said something I couldn't hear, and three water elementals materialized around her. She told us that we all belonged to her now, that we were her servants and slaves. Well, we were all pirates, so we did what we were good at, we fought. It was of no use though, in the water the elementals were faster and stronger than us. A few of us died, but for the most part we were captured, strung together with golden chains.

"Jahill yelled for us to regroup. Awill pulled me and another with her. Jahill had something clenched in his fist. He told us to hold onto him, tightly. With the elementals bearing down on us, he opened his hand. There was a silver bead. Jahill spoke a single word and a bright light shined out. The last thing we heard was the woman yelling at us that we would eventually come back to her.

"When the light died down, we were back on dry land, a few miles outside the port town of Ironis." Iados took a shaky breath. "That night as we camped on the beach, we all noticed it." Iados held us his right hand, and pointed out a small black dot in the center of his palm. "Of the six of us who'd managed to get out, none of us had had that mark before we met her."

"Wow, but at least you'd managed to escape."

"That's we thought. However, that night we were attacked by a water elemental who came out of the sea. It grabbed Ingil and dragged him away, disappearing beneath the waves. We tried to save him, but to no avail. After that, we all decided that the best course of action was to split up and stay away from the sea."

"Why didn't Awill and Jahill split up?"

"Awill grew up with Jahill by her side, she'd rather die than be separated from him." Iados stood up and stretched. "You're only the second person I've ever told that story to."

"Who was the first?"

"Kils, and only because we got attacked by an elemental while in Osthom. It was a close call there."

"Any idea who the woman is? Or what she is?"

Iados shook his head. "Haven't really had much time to research her. Joined up with you and everyone else in Rocklyn only a few weeks after we escaped."

Lia stood up. "Thank you for telling me."

"Well, I made you tell me first."

"Do you trust me now?" Lia's voice held a note of hope.

Iados smiled and kissed her deeply. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't evil or anything."

"So, are we back to 'casual' then?" Lia's eyes twinkled as she wrapped her arms around Iados's neck.

"Actually, I was thinking about trying out that whole dating thing. You know, the one where I'm your boyfriend and you're the girlfriend."

"We could do that, or if you're still uncomfortable with being called my boyfriend, we could call you my girlfriend and I could be your boyfriend?" Lia teased.

"As long as you're patient with me, you may have had twenty-four years of practice, but I'm still new to this."

"Deal."

The ground began to rumble beneath their feat, and rising over the tree line, they saw a massive stone fortress come to life.

"Well, that'll make winter easier." Iados chuckled. The two headed back to camp. That night he caught up with Peblin and asked her for tips on how to jimmy a lock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well this chapter was more storytime, but now the truth of Lia is out! Let me know what you think! Next up we check in with our final three, starting with Elaine! Now, for Iados's stats!
> 
> Name: Iados  
> Class/Level: Monk 2 / Rogue 1  
> Race: Tiefling  
> Age: 22  
> STR: 14  
> DEX: 18  
> CON: 15  
> INT: 10  
> WIS: 17  
> CHA: 13  
> HP: 27  
> AC: 17
> 
> When Iados was first created, Xanathar's Guide hadn't been released yet. When Xanathar's guide was released, I'd already written eight chapters and he was level 2. Xanathar's Guide is important because it introduced the Swashbuckler subclass for rogue's. The more I wrote Iados, the more I found him leaning into his time at sea. So, instead of going back and trying to change everything to fit a rogue instead of a monk, I decided to multiclass him instead. After all, his foundation is in the monk teachings, but he choose to become a pirate. In terms of special abilities he's going to be behind the others for a while, but he'll make up for it.


	25. A Beautiful Day

**Missteps**

**Part 25 – A Beautiful Day**

When Elaine walked into _The Screaming Highwayman_ in Lorbridge, she immediately wished she hadn't. The establishment was one of those hole-in-the-wall, everyone-knows-about-it-but-they-don't-talk-about-it kind of places. Spotting Carric at a table along the wall, Elaine hurriedly made her way across the room, nearly colliding with one of the topless wait staff that were milling around.

"Why in the world did we have to meet here?" She asked as she collapsed into a chair. The air around her was thick and smelled of cooking meat. She was glad she wasn't wearing her armor, just a tunic and leggings with a thick cloak for the cold outside. Besides a money pouch tucked inside her tunic, she had a new crossbow slung across her back. She'd purchased the weapon shortly before arriving. Her old one had been broken accidentally by an Acolyte during a lesson.

Carric grinned. "To be honest I was expecting you to suggest somewhere else." Carric wasn't looking at Elaine, his eyes were currently following a tall blond.

Elaine reached over and snapped her fingers in his face. He blinked and faced her.

"Sorry." He grinned.

Elaine gave a wry grin back. "If you're that interested why don't you just go over and say hi? Ask him out for drinks?" Elaine was very deliberately not looking around her at the all the topless males. Whereas she wasn't a fan of public nudity in any form, her and Kerri had quickly found out that Carric was fond of it in certain situations.

"Already did." Carric took a swig from the mug in front of him. "I've actually been in town since yesterday, and seeing as I didn't fancy sleeping in a Church, I found other accommodations." He pointed with his head towards the blond.

Elaine held up a hand to stop Carric as he opened his mouth to continue. "Please, I really don't need to know anything else." A small high-pitched trill sound came out of Carric's bag. The ranger picked it up and set it on the table before undoing the simple straps.

The small black head of a weasel poked out, sniffing the air. As it caught sight of Elaine, the weasel quickly scurried out and began rubbing up against the cleric.

"Is this really Shomma?" Elaine's eyes were wide as she petted the grey-spotted fur. Shomma was the size of a small dauschound, and giving off little trills of happiness. "Last time I saw her, she was tiny."

"Yeah, it appears that I got duped by the trader. When I bought her, I was told she was already fully grown. Turns out she was just a baby."

"How big is she going to get?"

"Koe says that Giant Weasels, which is what we're sure she is, can get up to five feet in length. We found a story of a Gnome raiding party that used to ride Giant Weasels into battle."

Elaine looked down at the adorable happy-filled face of Shomma, and tried to imagine someone riding her into battle. What she got instead was a mental picture of Ander mounted on her back. For some reason, the image gave her a spurt of giggles. Carric sent her a raised eyebrow, and Elaine was quick to fill him in.

"That's not a half bad idea actually. We'll have to bring it up when we meet back up. Speaking of them, I was thinking we should start heading out towards Esterwill within the next couple of days. The three months is up next week, and if the rumors coming out of that town are true then we probably want to try to catch everyone before they head inside."

"That sounds like a good idea, except for one thing."

"What?"

"I've been invited to a party this weekend." Shomma climbed up and settled herself on Elaine's shoulder. "Technically the Church was invited, but I've been given the task of attending."

"Why can't the other Priests go?"

"It's Tigsomir's first _Rite of the Rest_ since taking over as Church deacon, so he's calling for all hands on deck."

"Why not you? Besides, is this _Rite_ really that important? What is the _Rite of the Rest_ anyhow?" Carric signaled out to the blond for another drink.

"It's a _Rite_ that's performed when a person's body is lost or the person is presumed dead. It's a way to help the wandering soul find peace and help it pass on to Pelor's light. It's a common _Rite_ , but this one is being requested by a powerful family from Silverbank. They're paying the Church a lot of money for it to be their highest priority." Elaine scowled. She disliked the thought of the _Rite_ being performed for money, but she more than understood the Church's need for funds. "Since I'm not stationed at this Church, he instead asked for me to attend the party on the Church's behalf."

"What's the party?"

"It's the welcome party held in Silverbank for the Lirathan delegation."

"Oh, then how about I take Kerri and scaddle out of town and we wait for you?"

Elaine gave a small smile. "I wish we could, but the Entertainer's Guild's been tapped to, well, entertain. Kerri's been helping get everything ready for the past month."

"Does the Guild know of Kerri's history with the Lirathan royal family?" The blond set a tankard in front of Carric with a wink. Carric smiled and pressed a silver into his hand before turning back to Elaine.

Elaine nodded. "Apparently Master Recklenton is originally from Liratha, and keeps an ear on the news. She's got Kerri primarily working behind-the-scenes. The Guild's heading out in a caravan to Silverbank tomorrow and we're catching a ride." Elaine indicated that the 'we' were her and Carric.

"Wait a minute, why am I going to Silverbank with you? I still have traveling supplies I need to get."

"I was hoping you'd be my date to the party. Help me keep an eye on Kerri. I heard that Maron is part of the delegation."

Carric paused, his tankard halfway to his mouth. "Maron, as in Prince Maron? The guy Kerri was in love with?" Elaine nodded. "What the hell?"

"All I know is that he's accompanying his older brother, the Crown Prince. Seeing as Kerri's whole exile deal is based on her and Maron, I don't want to take the risk of anything happening."

"Do you think you might be overreacting?" Carric drained the last of his tankard and stood up. "There's a chance that he doesn't even know Kerri's here. Or are you afraid of Kerri reaching out to him?"

"A little of both." Elaine followed Carric out of the tavern, Shomma still wrapped around her neck. Outside the cold air hit them hard, and Elaine pulled her cloak tightly around her. Carric took Shomma from Elaine and deposited her back into his bag, wrapping a blanket around her.

"What's that?" Elaine gestured towards the long green and golden quiver strapped across Carric's back. It had been too dark in the windowless tavern for her to have seen it before.

"My payment for helping Koe." Carric explained. Koe was the ranger in charge of the forest around the capital city of Silverbank. On their way to the area from Rocklyn, Carric had told her and Kerri about the aging ranger. Koe was one of the people Carric wanted to touch base with before they joined up with Ander and the others.

"Since we're leaving tomorrow, I think we'd best get the supplies today. Last time I was in Silverbank, the shops were bare. Too many people loading up and getting out of town ahead of the delegation. People there do not like Liratha."

"Did they give a reason?" Elaine followed Carric as he headed down the street.

"Most of the people leaving were members of the Pelorian Church."

Elaine nodded solemnly. Liratha and the Church of Pelor were not on good terms.

In Liratha, the Church of Pelor based their faith and beliefs in their fight with the undead. Early on, armies of the undead would shamble down from the mountains bordering the infant nation, and it was the Paladins of Pelor who led the armies that drove them back. When the giants were first spotted crossing into the mountains from some unknown land, it was the Pelorian Clerics that were first sent as missionaries. For much of Lirathan history, Pelor was the God trusted by the ruling classes.

However, as the years passed, the giants began invading Liratha, forcing its citizens to flee. The clergy of Pelor followed their parishioners as they ran east, away from the giant threat. The clergy were forced to leave behind their temples and Holy Sites, sometimes still full of artifacts and scripture they didn't have time to grab.

With the diminishment of their Temples, and the people of Liratha losing faith in Pelor's protections, many Priests and Clerics left to start anew in places like Marblebrooke or Pryria.

The greatest blow came ninety years ago, when the Lirathan Cardinal (the highest Clergy member of the land besides Pelor himself), was imprisoned by the Royal family. Though he was only imprisoned for a few days, the effects were the hardest.

All of their remaining Temples and places of worship were seized and the Clergy thrown out. Texts, scriptures, artifacts, anything that bore the name of Pelor was seized by the government. Priests caught spreading the word were imprisoned. The royal family had declared Pelor persona non grata.

However, none of this stopped Pelor's Clergy. Priests and Acolytes started hiding within caravans, discreetly preaching and spreading the word of Pelor. It helped that at the same time, the royal family had already lost most of their subject's support by allowing the giants to continue to raid their land.

The second time the Cardinal was arrested, it was for two years. He'd been caught smuggling texts out of the country. With him imprisoned, the Bishops and their Vicars that were left continued his work to smuggle their artifacts across the strait.

The Cardinal had barely been free a year before he was imprisoned once again. This time the royal family didn't give a reason. So far he'd been locked up for twenty years.

By the time Elaine had arrived in Liratha, public support had reached a fever pitch in support of the Pelorian Clergy.

Shortly after she'd arrive in Liratha, Elaine had made a friend with one of the Acolytes, who then introduced her to Priest Antodin, an older gnome who'd been with the church most of her 329 years. Long ago she'd been the Deacon of a Temple near the foot of the mountains, but she'd lost that title along with her Temple. Elaine traveled with Antodin and the other Acolytes for several weeks, before taking the vows and joining the Church as well.

At that point in her life, Elaine was looking for a place to belong. Her home life had become a disaster after the death of her sister, and after traveling for a time, she'd realized that she didn't want to go back.

Back home, her family had worshipped Pelor, but they weren't devout or anything.

Of course back home, they worshipped Pelor a little differently. Whereas in Liratha the Clerics and Paladins focused fighting back the undead and protecting their followers, Marblebrooke Clerics and Priests provided and protected not with swords but with havens. The worshippers of Marblebrooke focused their energies and faith on healing the sick and injured, and providing places of refuge for those fleeing. Which makes sense seeing as Pelor truly rose to prominence during the Civil War when civilians converged on their Temples seeking shelter.

The more proactive, in-your-face worship of Liratha appealed much more to Elaine.

Eventually the royal family had no choice but to bow to public pressure. It was the eldest son and heir to the throne that finally extended an olive branch. First he invited Antodin and her Acolytes as his guests to the annual New Dawn party celebrating the coming new year. It was at this party that Elaine and Kerri had first met. Shortly after, he gifted Antodin a small Temple on the outskirts of the Capital city.

Their Cardinal was still imprisoned, but the actions of the prince had quieted the worst of the dissent from the public.

By the time Elaine had arrived at the Temple of Pelor in Lorbridge, home of the Entertainer's Guild, word already reached them, courtesy of Antodin, to expect her. She'd spent most her time in Lorbridge learning more of the healing arts.

If her experiences in the Settlement had taught her anything, it's that she wasn't as prepared as she thought she was. She learned to diagnose and recognize symptoms of different common diseases, toxins, and poisonous plants in the areas her group were likely to go. The healers at the Temple taught her to bandage broken limbs, sprains, gashes, and wounds properly. She even learned how to stitch flesh together, in case she ran out of healing.

Magical healing could only take a healer so far, and most of the Priests and Healers in Lorbridge and other places in Marblebrooke weren't magically inclined. Tigsomir, the new Deacon of the Church, was the only person besides Elaine at the Temple who was also a Cleric. Most of the Clerics had left with different adventuring groups throughout the years and simply never returned. The ones who were left were stationed at different churches.

There were no Pelorian Paladins in Marblebrooke. Their last Paladin had been lost during the Civil War.

"Tigsomir mentioned that I should present a gift to the Lirathan delegation." Elaine commented as her and Carric walked down the crowded market. A lot of people had come into town for the winter months, bringing with them the last of their harvests. "Any ideas?"

"How about a rabbit's tail?" Carric suggested as he pointed out a passing vendor. They'd stopped a friend of Carric's first to pick up a map he'd ordered. Now they were on their way to a weapons shop, where Elaine saw the true value of Koe's gift.

The quiver itself had three compartments, all of which looked to be just full of inky darkness. Elaine raised a skeptical eye as Carric had shelled out the money for forty arrows, twenty crossbow bolts, three javelins, and a spear. She wondered how he intended on carrying it all, when he began depositing the items one at a time into the compartments. It was as if the quiver ate the items. Even items that were longer than itself, like the spear and a javelins, merely disappeared within its depths. Taking hold of the quiver itself, Elaine was surprised by how light it was considering what she'd just seen it eat.

"It's called the _Quiver of Ehlonna_." Carric explained with a laugh as he watched Elaine examine the magic item. "Think about a bolt."

Elaine did as he asked, and a bolt stretched up out of the blackness.

"That is amazing." Elaine handed the quiver back to Carric. "Mine's better though."

"What's yours?" The two of them left the shop and headed down the street.

Elaine didn't get a chance to answer as a sharp scream pierced the air. Just up the street, a woman was on her knees, screaming at the crowd around her.

Elaine and Carric raced towards the woman. Many people were already leaving the area hurriedly, some of them yelling for guards. By the time they reached the woman there was already another figure by her side.

"What happened?" Carric asked. The figure looked up, his green eyes holding a determined glare as they shone out from under a hood.

"Her child was grabbed by an Ettercap." The man stood up. Carric saw two swords strapped to his waist, and a chain shirt peeking out from under his cloak. "They dragged the boy into the alleyway. I've already sent someone to get the Guards, but these creatures aren't known for their hospitality." The man pointed towards the narrow alleyway in front of them. The large buildings on either side blocked out the sun, leaving it dark.

"What are we waiting for?" Elaine had her new crossbow pulled up, and had already nocked it with a bolt taken from Carric's quiver.

"What exactly is an Ettercap?" Carric handed over the quiver to Elaine. He pulled his shortswords out and motioned to the newcomer to go first.

"They're basically spider shepherds." The man pulled out a longsword and edged closer to the alley entrance. Large stacks of crates on either side of the opening meant that the only way in was a ten foot gap. "Ettercaps are usually found deep in remote forests, no idea what they're doing here."

"Are you sure it was an Ettercap?" Elaine took up a position next to a crate, ready to provide cover for the two swordsmen.

"Pretty sure." The man whispered as he entered the gloomy darkness. He walked cautiously, his eyes scanning the area. Carric followed along behind him. As they passed the first row of crates, they both looked up.

"Duck!" The green-eyed man yelled out, ducking and pulling Carric down with him. A string of webbing shot over their heads. Above them on the wall, was a large hulking figure hiding in the shadows. It made a chittering noise like a spider, but did not approach.

Elaine aimed for the shadow patch where the webbing had originated, and was rewarded with a loud hiss from the creature. Crossing over, Elaine jumped and tapped the highest crate she could. The wooden box lit up, illuminating the area with a bright _Light_.

Everyone could now clearly see the hulking gray/purple skinned creature. Its eyes and fangs were those of a spider, but it was at least six feet tall with a humanoid body. Both its hands and feet, instead of ending in fingers and toes, ended in two large black claws. Its abdomen was distended, with a thin trail of silk webbing waving out. Its skin was covered in scabbed over and scarred lash marks.

The hooded swordsman took a running leap and deftly scrambled up to the top of the crates. As he did, his hood fell down, exposing his short-cropped black hair and face.

"Maron?" Elaine exclaimed in disbelief as she paused in reloading her crossbow. She watched him reach out with his sword, but the Ettercap deftly dodged.

"I'm gonna leave this to you." Carric called out as he started off further down the alleyway. The end of the alley was blocked by a contingent of empty carts. Clumps of debris and crates were scattered along the edges. He rounded the corner of another crate pile, and found a second scarred Ettercap. This one was hunched over a small cocoon of webbing.

The second Ettercap growled at Carric and launched itself at him. Carric tried to dodge, but one of the Ettercap's claws ripped into his arm. The creature bent down and quickly nipped at Carric's neck.

The Ranger felt a burning sensation flare from the bite, but after a second it disappeared.

The first Ettercap turned at Maron, and sent another web out from its abdomen. This time Maron was too close and wasn't able to dodge out of the way. The thick, sticky webbing stuck his arms to his torso.

"What are you doing here?" Elaine called out to Maron as she let fly another bolt that scraped along the creatures leg.

"Looking for you actually." Maron grunted as he strained to break the bonds.

The Ettercap skittered to just above him. With a pleased look in its eyes, the creature reached out. Its claws left a wicked gash on his arm as it pulled Maron closer to it and bit him on his neck. Maron cried out at the sharp burning sensation, but it quickly subsided.

Elaine cursed under her breath and moved further into the alleyway looking for a clear line of sight on the creature. Last thing she needed was grief about shooting Maron. The bolt pierced a line down the creature's skull. Maron used the distraction to break out of his bonds and move away from the creature, exchanging his longsword for a rapier as he did.

"Listen Elaine, I was rather hoping you and I could sit with a drink and talk." He called down to the Cleric.

"Is this really the time to be asking her out?" Carric narrowly dodged another attack, and retaliated with two sword strikes across the distended abdomen.

Elaine turned to say something, but instead found herself pinned to a broken cart behind her with a web. Looking up, she saw a third Ettercap descending down the wall from over the lip of the roof. "We've got another one!"

"What do you mean?" Maron dodged the ginormous claw of his foe, but not its bite as leaned down and nipped at the back of his hand. Maron groaned as he felt the heat again, but once again it subsided.

Carric was too busy to even acknowledge Elaine's words as the Ettercap's claw cut a huge gash in his left arm, causing him to drop his sword. Distracted by the sudden pain, Carric barely noticed the creature reach out and bite his shoulder. As the heat flared up from the bite, and this time radiate down the full length of his arm, Carric dropped into unconscious.

"Carric!" Elaine's eyes went wide in sudden fear. Sending up a quick payer to Pelor she cast _Sanctuary_ on her fallen friend as she strained against her bonds. The way her arms were stuck, she couldn't reach the trigger on her crossbow.

Maron swung out against the Ettercap, managing to pierce the abdomen. As his withdrew his blade, he quickly backed out of its range, leapt down, and ran towards Elaine.

The Ettercap he just escaped from, and the one on the wall above him, both shot out webs towards him. He dodged them both and made it to Elaine.

"Stop these things." Elaine told him softly. She muttered a quick spell. The Holy Symbol around her wrist flared with a bright light, a light that shot out towards Carric, Maron, and herself. For an instant the three of were outlined in the same light before it died down.

"Gladly." Maron looked over Elaine's shoulder and saw an Ettercap slowly cocooning Carric's legs. Carric's eyes were open and he sent Maron a look that said 'get him off me'. Maron, invigorated by the _bless_ spell, charged down the street with a yell. He buried his rapier down the middle of a gash already inflicted by Carric. The Ettercap gave a strangled cry as he roughly pulled the sword out.

Carric sat up, and buried his sword into the creature's chest. It collapsed into a heap, sword still in its chest.

The other two Ettercaps both gave a chittering cry at their fallen companion. They skittered back up their respective walls and over the tops, disappearing from view.

Maron wasted no time in pulling out a knife and sawing at the small cocoon. Carric worked to free his legs.

As soon as Elaine broke the strands trapping her, she ran to Maron who had managed to uncover the upper half of the cocoon. Inside was a small blond-haired boy. His skin was pale, causing the large bit on the side of his neck to stand even more. Even before she'd pressed her fingers to his throat, she knew they were too late. The child had never stood a chance against these creatures.

With a soft shake of her head to Maron's questioning gaze, Elaine turned to Carric and began examining his wounds. A couple of healing spells later and the worst of his injuries were gone. The burning sensation from the bite had disappeared as well.

Maron had quietly removed the last of the webbing, and gently wrapped the small body in his cloak. The sweat that had accumulated on all three of them was quickly chilling in the temperature, but they paid it no heed.

A commotion at the opening of the alleyway signaled the arrival of the Town Guard. Six armored and helmed guards entered the alley, weapons drawn. They were all dressed in the maroon and navy uniform of the Town Guard. Most of the guilds and official offices in Lorbridge were color-coded.

"What happened?" Bristled one of the guards as they took in the scene. The Guard had gold interlocked stars on their chest, showing their rank as a Captain.

"Ettercaps kidnapped and killed this child." Maron's voice was cold as he stood and faced them, the wrapped child in his arms. "His mother should still be wailing in the street."

The Captain made a motion with their hand and two other guards came forward and collected the child. They left and headed out of the alleyway. A few moments later a strangled female cry filled the air.

"Where did these things come from?" Carric pointed at the dead Ettercap.

"Last night we busted up a smuggling operation." The Captain explained. She took off her helmet and quickly issued commands to the other guards around her. "They let loose some of their inventory as a distraction and we've been chasing them down all morning."

"There were at least two more of them, and one of them is injured." Maron said, and the three of them gave a quick run-down of events. The body of the Ettercap was carted away.

"I thank you for your help, however we do frown at people walking around so formidably armed." The Captain cast a stern eye over the three of them. "Do you have papers?"

Elaine quickly dug into a pocket sewn into the inside of her cloak. She brought out a leatherbound envelope tied with a leather string. On the cover was embossed a brightly burning sun, with a weathered, aged face in the center. This was the symbol of Pelor.

"I'm a Cleric of Pelor." Elaine said, unnecessarily. One look at the embossed symbol and all of the scrutiny had disappeared from the Captain's face. "If you'd like I have a receipt from the man who sold me the crossbow this morning."

"That won't be necessary." The Captain waved off Elaine's suggestion. She turned to Carric. "What about you, do you also work for the clergy?"

"Nope, but we are part of the same adventuring group. We're waiting on official papers from the Sylph Heart Circle."

"I'd get them sooner, rather than later." The Captain turned to Maron. "Are you part of this group?"

"No, but I do have diplomatic immunity." Maron reached under his chain shirt and pulled out an envelope. He passed it over to the Captain who quickly opened it and scanned the contents. Her eyes widened a bit and she passed the envelope back over.

"Well, you have my thanks for your help." The Captain stood up straighter and replaced her helmet. "Good day." She turned and left the alleyway.

"What the hell is in that letter?" Carric asked. The three of them were now alone in the alley.

"Just my credentials." Maron replaced the letter.

"Let me make some introductions." Elaine pointed first at Carric. "This is Carric, a ranger who is part of an adventuring group I'm a part of." Next she pointed to Maron. "Carric, meet Maron: Prince of Liratha and the reason why Kerri was exiled."

"Hold up, that's not true." Maron shook his head. "She was never officially exiled. I have no idea why everyone is calling it that."

"Oh please. Your mother exiled her so that you two wouldn't run off and get married. She didn't approve of Kerri." Elaine crossed her arms in indignation.

"True my mother didn't approve, by my brother did. As Crown Prince my brother outranks my mother, and he gave us permission to marry."

"Wait….what?" Elaine's arms loosened in surprise. Carric raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"My brother gave us permission." Maron repeated. "Before I could tell Kerri the good news, she disappeared for two days. The next time I saw her, she was being escorted out of the castle, with everyone buzzing around saying she'd been 'exiled'."

"And that's when you sent me the note."

Now it was Maron's turn to look confused. "What note?"

"I got a note telling me Kerri was in trouble and what boat she was going out on. It was signed by you."

"My mother put me on lockdown until Kerri was out of the country. I never sent you a note."

"Then who did?"

"No idea. I followed my brother with the delegation, with the express purpose of finding Kerri and asking her some questions. I figured she might be with the Entertainer's Guild here, going back to what she knows. I saw you on the street while I was on my way and figured I'd see if you knew anything first. Didn't expect to get into a fight."

"None of us did, to be fair." Carric had crouched down and was taking Shomma out of his bag. He'd dropped it close to the entrance of the alley, jogging up and grabbing it while the two of them had talked.

"Has Kerri said anything to you?" Maron asked.

Elaine shook her head, a head that was beginning to spin. She knew that Kerri hadn't told her the full story, but she wasn't sure if she fully believed the Prince's either. For the past few months she'd been harboring a serious grudge against him on Kerri's behalf. She did it on her behalf because Kerri didn't seem to harbor any ill will at towards Maron.

What happened on those supposed two days she was missing?

"We need to talk to Kerri." Elaine finally said, and Maron nodded in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: You know, I debated for a long time on whether or not Maron would make his appearance so soon. Eventually I just let the dice decide, and it was a resounding 94% that he'd show up. Lol. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Till next time!


	26. Memories

**Missteps**

**Chapter 26 – Memories**

"Well, that puts a dampener on that plan." Carric chuckled as the three of them stared at the notice pinned to the locked outer gates of the Entertainer's Guild.

"'All non-Guild members are banished from the premises until the mess of the Lirathan Welcome Party is contained. Notable exceptions are of course the Town Guard and Sylph Heart Circle Mages (with proper identification).'" Elaine said aloud. "What do you think happened?"

"Judging by the smell, nothing good." Maron's voice was muffled as he'd covered the lower half of his face. A pungent odor was wafting out from the other side of the door. They could all hear a flurry of activity on the other side. Muffled yells, shrieks of surprise, and suspicious booms.

"I don't think we're going to get to talk with Kerri today." Carric remarked as the trio headed off down the street.

Maron sighed. "Looks that way. What did the two of you have planned? Mind if I tag along? I don't feel like playing 'The Prince' today."

"We just planned on doing some shopping." Carric gave a shrug. "I don't mind if you tag along, in fact Elaine had mentioned that she needed to get you a gift."

"Really?" Maron turned to Elaine. "Why?"

"Not for you specifically, for the delegation." Elaine explained as she petted Shomma who had found herself around Elaine's neck. "Deacon Masundle suggested it as I'm attending your Welcome Party as a representative of the Church of Pelor."

"He's sending a Lirathan Cleric of Pelor as the rep?" Maron gave a chuckle. "And I thought my brother was the only playing politics."

"What do you mean, 'playing politics'?"

"Come on Elaine, you can't be that dense." Maron stopped for a moment. "The Church of Pelor is the only religious order that was invited to the Welcome Party. It's just another gesture from the Royal Family to try to re-establish good standing with the Church. It's like the Temple you guys were gifted last year."

"Great, so you're saying I'm just a political pawn?"

Maron nodded. Elaine groaned.

"Well, fine then. I'll play the part." They started walking again. "What kind of gift would the delegation enjoy? Something neutral like a shiny piece of artwork, or something of significance?"

"Up to you." Maron looked back towards the road. "So, an adventuring group. Really? You never really seemed the type."

"What kind of type did I seem?" Elaine reached up and scratched Shomma under the chin, a response to the latter's small squeaks.

"The homebody type, if I'm honest. You never seemed to want to leave the Temple."

"I didn't want to leave." Elaine grimaced. "Just walking down the street seemed to be an excuse for those loyal to the Royal Family to accost me. If I tried to shop on the wrong side of town, there were many who tried to cheat me on prices, or who just refused to sell to me."

"Really? It's always seemed like the Church of Pelor had supporters everywhere."

"We do, but since it's a literal crime to be an open follower, there are many who are afraid to come forward and help. Believe or not, there are some people who don't want to risk leaving their families for jail or the work houses. Not with all the food shortages."

"Trust me Elaine, the guards of Liratha have more to worry about then a follower or some Cleric getting in a tussle." Maron pursed his lips into a straight line. Uncomfortable silence lingered in the air for a few minutes following this. To be honest, this was already more time Elaine had ever spent with Maron, without Kerri around.

The first time Elaine had met the Prince, outside of him being an honored guest at some event, was at a party.

Back then, the Lirathan Entertainer's Guild had held a huge party celebrating the success of a new show. They'd rented out the full town square, and had spent months getting the permits to shoot fireworks off. The whole thing was a very large and noisy affair. It was also a ruse.

In actuality the Guild was steering attention away from their Guild house, where they were allowing the ranking Pelorian clergy members to meet in secret. Elaine was still an Acolyte back then. Her job was to mingle with the party goers and to keep an eye on the Guards.

By this point, Kerri and Elaine had known each other for a few months. Since they were similar in age the two of them were paired up a lot. The Entertainer's Guild was a large supporter of the Church and frequently helped smuggle Clergy members around the city. The two of them worked together often. Kerri would provide distractions for Elaine as she passed messages to followers, made deliveries, or picked up items. More than once they'd been a part of mad dashes through town trying to lose the Guards.

That night, Kerri had brought a date to the party. This in itself wasn't unusual, Kerri had a lot of dates. Her date kept his face covered the whole time, and when she introduced him, she only referred to him as 'her date'. All Kerri had told Elaine up to then about this latest fling, was that he worked with the local Thieves' Guild. Elaine figured that the less she knew about him the better.

The three of them had fun that night. The food was good, the music amazing, and the secret meeting had come and gone with no issues. When it was time for the fireworks, they climbed onto the roof of the Guild house. They weren't the only ones with the same idea, but Kerri steered them close to the chimney, shielding their group from view.

That's when 'her date' took off his scarf and hood, revealing his face. At first Elaine hadn't noticed, the fireworks had started and she'd been entranced by the show. It was when she looked over to make a comment to Kerri that she saw. The two of them were cuddled together, each taking a turn to whisper in the other's ear as they carried on a conversation. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she saw her friend laughing and smiling.

Elaine didn't say anything that night, or the next day, or over the next few months. She figured that like all of Kerri's dates, this would only last for a few weeks. But it didn't. Months went by, and the two of them started see less and less of each other as Kerri spent more time by Maron's side.

By the time Elaine received Maron's note, she hadn't seen or spoken to Kerri in almost two months. A lingering thought that Elaine couldn't shake, is if she could have helped prevent Kerri from getting hurt? If she'd spoken up at the beginning, instead of after a few months, would they still have fought like they did? By that point, Kerri was head over heels in love, and Elaine could tell that she was letting her feelings guide her, and not her head. Maron became a point of contention for the two friends.

The two of them had made up a lot on the boat ride to Marblebrooke, but Kerri still refused to talk about Maron with Elaine.

Carric wordlessly steered the group into a General Store. For the next couple of hours the three of them were able to fill the air with discussions on what supplies to bring. The first thing Carric insisted they buy were tents.

Maron wasn't much help. From his questions it was obvious that he had not spent much time away from the city. Carric answered his questions distractedly as they perused the items. All in all there wasn't much they had to buy, a lot of the more basic supplies the Church had already agreed to provide.

Next door to the General Store, was a dressmaker.

"Hey Elaine, is the Church going to provide a party dress?" Carric asked as the three of them watched a young redhead dress a mannequin in the window.

Elaine gave a shrug. "I don't know, it hasn't really come up."

"Do you own any party clothes?" Maron looked down at the Cleric.

"I have my vestments. I figure if nothing else I'll wear those and really look like a Church pawn."

Maron groaned. He grabbed Elaine's hand and dragged her into the store.

"This woman needs a dress." Maron announced to the middle-aged woman standing behind a small counter.

"What kind of dress?" The woman asked as she rushed forward, already unfurling a roll of measuring tape. The young woman from the window hurried over.

"One appropriate for a party at the Governor's Mansion in Silverbank." Maron explained as he grabbed Elaine's pack and crossbow and passed them over to Carric. "We're leaving tomorrow, so I'm hoping you have something already made."

Carric settled himself on the floor against the wall, Shomma in his lap. Elaine sent him a pleading look as the seamstresses began measuring every inch of her, but all he did was grin and shake his head.

"You're in luck, we do have a few dresses. They were ordered by the Entertainer's Guild, but unfortunately circumstances changed and the orders had to be cancelled. Cynthia, take this woman into the back and get her undressed. I'll collect the dresses and we'll see what we can do." The middle-aged woman clicked her tongue and rushed out of the room. The young girl pulled Elaine through the other door and into a good-sized dressing room. Elaine was ushered onto a stool and disrobed.

The woman, who introduced herself as Diana, rushed into the room with four dresses in her arms. As the two of them dressed and re-dressed Elaine, she was reminded of the last time she was used as someone's doll.

Just like now, she was being dressed for a party. Unlike now, she wasn't a guest at that one, but the Guest of Honor.

Elaine had been eighteen at the time, and still living in Osthom. It'd been two years since the Orc attack, and the death of her older sister. She still lived in her grandparents' home with her three younger siblings. Her grandparents, who were ship-builders, were the only parents she knew, but she knew that her parents were still alive. Every time they had another child, they would send it to be raised by her mother's parents. All her grandparents ever said about the arrangement, was that it was for the best of the children.

Two year prior, Elaine's sister, Gennifer, turned eighteen. She was going to be the first of them to travel to see their parents. She'd been so excited, and everyone had worked for months to save up the money for her trip. Two days before her departure date, the Orcs had attacked.

Ever since that day, Elaine had pulled away from her family. Tristan blamed her for their sister's death, and Elaine couldn't blame him. She knew she wasn't responsible for her death, but she was the reason Gennifer had died alone.

A couple of weeks after she turned eighteen, her grandmother presented Elaine with a sack of gold, and papers. In the papers were multiple ship tickets, destination instructions, and a letter. It was up to Elaine to take the trip meant for Gennifer. Elaine was already on her way by the time the sun had set in Osthom.

The journey took three weeks. Wherever she was going, it wasn't a straight shot. She was shuffled between multiple ships, all captained by friends of her grandparents. Finally she was thrown into a dingy early one afternoon and told to paddle due east towards an island in the distance.

As the dingy was being lowered into the water, Elaine didn't understand why she was suddenly being thrown out on her own. As she paddled though, the reason became clear. The water under her boat was crystal clear, and below her she could see large spires of stone jutting out from the bottom of the ocean floor. Shipwrecks were scattered here and there, some still impaled on the spires that had brought them down. Even the bottom of her dingy scrapped some of the spires that were the closest to the surface. The most dangerous part, none of the spires breached the surface.

As she got closer to the island, the first thing she saw was the large cliff-face. Later she learned that it was actually the outside of a once active volcano. The second were the handful of boats, its passengers casting out nets and reeling in catches of fish. A man in the closet boat was the first to notice her. She heard him yell out something to his companions, before he jumped in the water and swam out to meet her.

"Are you lost?" Were the first words out of the man's mouth once he'd breached the surface next to her dingy.

"I don't think so." Elaine explained how she'd ended up there while the man climbed aboard. She dug out the letter to her parents from her pack, showing him the names written on the front of the envelope. The man read the names, and his eyes narrowed.

"I will take you to them." Was all he said before he took the paddles from her, and steered the small vessel closer to the island. The fisherman formed a kind of guard around the dingy, surrounding the craft and leading the way around the cliff-face. After an hour they came upon a large opening in the side, large enough for a large sea vessel to pass through easily. Torches were lit on every vessel. One of the fisherman handed a lit one to Elaine as they entered the cave.

Inside, messages of warning and despair were scrawled on the walls. Skeletons dangled in nets hung from the ceiling, or shackled against the wall like an art project. Elaine's hand shook as she held the torch, and fear took hold of her mind. No one around Elaine had a friendly smile to offer. They all seemed to be suspicious and skeptical of her, at least that's what she thought but even she had to admit the intermittent scowls and glares that were sent her way might have been misleading.

After ten minutes or so, they passed through another opening, and came out in the interior of the dormant volcano. Inside, a large tropical forest had formed, and within that forest stood a civilization.

Elaine forgot about the pit in the bottom of her stomach as she stared open-mouthed at the structures around her. Waterways acted as streets, with sidewalks and bridges connecting the different landmasses. Stones lined the canals, protecting the earth from being eroded away. Structures build into the trunks of large tress, in their branches, or just under their leaves were everywhere.

The group pulled their boats into a small marina and disembarked. The man who'd taken control of Elaine's dingy grabbed her bags and helped her out. A small crowd of people had begun to gather, gawking at Elaine. She had the distinct impression that they didn't get many visitors here. She was also aware of how warm it was inside the cone.

Many of the people now surrounding her were dressed in thin clothing. The women were clothed in vibrantly colored wrapped dresses and skirts, the men similarly clothed. Both men and women wore pants that were loose fitting and flowing. On their feet were sandals, usually with laces that wound up their calves. Around her they all seemed to be human, but she saw pointed ears on some of them. Everyone, even some of the children, were tattooed and dark skinned. Elaine was too distracted to feel embarrassed.

Elaine was led towards the cliff wall, where stairs had been carved and wound up. Glancing up, she was shocked to discover a whole network of staircases. Dwellings had been carved into the cliff-face, whole neighborhoods. In fact, as the sun began to sink beneath the cliff, lights began to flicker out of the carved windows. It was as if a thousand lightning bugs were glittering all around the circumference of this island.

Finally, her group descended back to the ground and approached a white stone building that strongly reminded Elaine of the government houses back home. This was easily the largest building on the island, and they got closer she could see brightly colored stones imbedded into the walls.

The large double doors were already ajar and she was handed over to a stern, bald man with two swords strapped to his waist. He was shirtless, but his chest was so heavily tattooed it looked like he was wearing a shirt.

The doors were shut behind them with a heavy thud as Elaine, now carrying her own bags, was led deeper into the building. Torches lined the halls, the fire glinting off the large windows they passed. The walls that didn't have windows were brightly painted in prints of different plants and animals.

The man led her into a courtyard full of vibrant flowers and trees. A large fountain sat in the middle. Sitting on the lip of the fountain was a dark-haired girl, her hair closely braided and pulled into a ponytail. She wore the same style of clothing as the other islanders, only her clothes were trimmed in gold.

"You may leave us Marcus." A deep voice said from Elaine's left. Looking over, she saw a man and a woman in lounge chairs. The man had his hair closely shaved to his scalp, and wore a golden coronet around his head. The woman next to him was wearing a silver coronet, though it was almost lost in her dark blown out hair. In the torchlight, Elaine could have sworn she was seeing her grandmother. They were also dressed in gold-trimmed clothing.

"I hope your journey wasn't too awful." The woman said as she stood up and approached Elaine.

"No, just long. Who are you?" Even as the words left Elaine's mouth, she knew. These people were her family, and they were island royalty.

Elaine stayed on the island for three months. Her stay turned out to be a sorely needed vacation.

She learned how a storm had blown her mother's ship into the spire field. She along with a few others had managed to swim to the island, where they'd been welcomed. The islanders were used to taking in strays, and more often than not those strays stayed.

However, the islanders had to be careful. Their resources weren't limitless, so to ensure that they wouldn't starve several measures had been put in place.

Dwellings were confined to the cliff walls so as to conserve farmland in the center of the landmasses. Capital punishment and exile were common punishments to ensure peace. Families were restricted to only one or two children. Excess children were either adopted out to childless couples, or sent away from the island. Euthanasia for long-standing withering diseases or disabilities was common.

Due to the scarcity of paper and parchment, family history and great events were carved upon the cliffs, and tattooed onto the skin of family members. It was not uncommon for several generations of family members to have the same tattoo inked upon them.

Not even the King and Queen of the island were exempt from these laws, hence the sending away of Elaine and her siblings. Queen Rowan tearfully told Elaine how hard it was every time, but she'd rather her children live away from her than to never have been born. She and King Tristan II cried for several days upon hearing of Gennifer's death.

Elaine bonded with her new sister, Alicia, the eldest taking it upon herself to introduce the island to Elaine. It was Alicia who showed Elaine the first carvings ever etched into the cliffs. She showed Elaine how the island took its name from the dormant volcano it sat upon, and where the first inhabitants originally came from.

Her parents threw her a week-long celebration to welcome her to the island.

The hardest thing Elaine faced while on the island, was overcoming her own self of modesty. Even she had to admit that it was too warm on the island to stay as covered as she liked. Alicia told Elaine to imagine the tattoos as just another piece of clothing, while Elaine herself was covered in a sheer shawl that at least offered some cover.

Back in the present, the group left the dressmaker's.

"Please, let me pay you back for this." Elaine rushed after Maron, clutching her new dress that was wrapped in brown paper, to her chest.

"Elaine, it is a gift from the Royal Family of Liratha, to a Cleric of Pelor." Maron grinned. "Why can't you just accept it?"

"Because the last time you gave a dress to someone, she ended up exiled." Elaine narrowed her eyes, scanning Maron's face.

Maron sighed. "It's not an 'exile', Elaine." He smiled and held out a hand towards her. "Thank you for letting me escape for a while, but I should be heading back."

Elaine glowered for a second before she shook his hand. "Find out exactly what Kerri is, will you?"

"Will do." Maron turned and offered the hand to Carric. "It was nice to meet you."

"You too," Carric shook the hand.

"I look forward to seeing you both in Silverbank." Maron gave a small bow, then turned and headed up the street.

"I think the dress looks nice." Carric commented as him and Elaine turned down a side street and headed back towards the Church. "Also, he's a lot nicer than the stories you told me."

"That's just his charm oozing off."

"No, I think you're just biased."

Elaine scoffed.

That night Elaine packed her pack. The caravan to Silverbank was leaving the next morning. Even Carric had agreed to spend the night in the Church so as not to be late.

She carefully laid out her vestments: a white robe with yellow embroidery along the cuffs, a plain yellow stole with Pelor's symbol stitched upon it, and a yellow sash that went around her waist. She took a small black bag off her bed and opened it.

Inside the bag were two items. The first was a collared choker made of gold, with white outlined suns etched onto it. This piece of jewelry marked her as a Cleric.

The second item was a gray diamond carved into a perfect rectangle. Imprinted upon it were blue colored runes. It was big enough to fit comfortably in her hand, and it was cold to the touch.

When Elaine had left the island, Alicia had secretly passed Elaine a black box. Inside the box was the diamond block, and a note. According to family lore, the diamond had been under their protection since before they'd settled the island. She couldn't explain it, but Alicia knew that the key, her words, belonged with Elaine now.

At the first opportunity, Elaine had written to Alicia, asking her more about the diamond key, but Alicia only wrote back that it was better for no one to know the key had left the island, or that it existed.

The only person who knew about the diamond key besides the two of them, was Kerri. Kerri only knew about it because she'd come across it while snooping in Elaine's belongings early on in their relationship. Elaine had sworn Kerri to secrecy about it, and as far as she knew Kerri had kept her word.

Elaine stowed the key back with her choker, and then wrapped the bag in with her vestments, that were then stowed in their own cloth bag. She placed the bag on top of the brown paper package that contained her new dress within her pack.

Before she climbed into bed, she lit a candle and sent a prayer to Pelor to watch over the soul of the boy that had died that day. The thought crossed her mind that it was unfair for a young life such as his to end so early. Her conversation with Lia back in the Settlement, in which Lia spoke of spells that could revive the dead came to the forefront of her mind.

It wasn't the first time those spells had come up. It was impossible to follow a religion that was based in fighting the undead without those questions arising. If there was indeed magic out there that could breathe real life back into those who had died needlessly, why couldn't they use it?

Priest Antodin always answered with a simple question: what gave them the right? Unlike the Gods, those on the material plane don't have the ability to look into a person's soul and judge it. The person could have a greater mission waiting for them in the afterlife, or they could have a punishment. Bringing the person back to life, might also upset the course of someone else's destiny.

Antodin had stressed to all of her pupils and followers that death was a natural consequence of living. It was not something to live in fear of, but nor was it something to yearn for. They are to spend their time under Pelor's light performing good deeds and actions. To work on creating a world centered on freedom and justice, a world in which the followers of evil could no longer thrive.

To that end, perhaps it was time for her to let go of her grudge against Maron. As Carric had pointed out, he hadn't given her any reason to truly doubt him today.

However, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he was still connected to whatever had happened to Kerri. She also couldn't forget that it was his family that was keeping her Cardinal in prison simply for his beliefs. No, she wasn't ready to bury the proverbial hatchet just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And now we know more about Elaine, and a bit more Elaine. Haven't decided yet whether next chapter is Kerri or Carric. You'll just have to tune in to find out!
> 
> Name: Elaine (Morgan) Archer  
> Class/Level: Cleric 3 - Light Domain  
> Race: Human  
> Age: 23  
> STR: 16  
> DEX: 16  
> CON: 17  
> INT: 10  
> WIS: 19  
> CHA: 16  
> HP: 27  
> AC: 18 (with armor and a shield)
> 
> Originally Elaine wasn't a part of the group. She is the only character that was created with a specific class in mind. After the first couple of fights when a lot of the characters were on the verge of dying, I realized that a healer was needed to keep them alive. Like Lia, Elaine technically has access to the full list of clerical spells, but I went through and narrowed it down a smaller list that she's pulling from when she prepares each day. There are some spells that she wouldn't have had access to, or that Pelor wouldn't have allowed. The way I see it, Elaine might have started with the potential for magic, but ultimately her power comes from the deity she serves (similar to have Warlocks receive power from their Patrons).
> 
> Elaine is also the only character to have a background pulled from the Sword Coast Adventurer's supplement book.


	27. Storytime

**Missteps**

**Chapter 27 – Storytime**

If it wasn't so funny, Kerri would have felt sorry for Carric and Elaine. She wasn't sure what the two of them were expecting traveling with an Entertainer's Guild, but judging by their faces it wasn't this.

Due to some 'incidents', at rehearsal during the week, almost the entire schedule for that night's festivities had to be redone. Some weird creatures had gotten into the compound over the course of the night and destroyed a lot of the props and stage materials. Trying to capture them had resulted in some injuries to performers and instruments. No one had gotten much sleep that night, and the resulting mess meant no one had gotten sleep since.

Carric and Elaine had been put to work from the minute they'd arrived at the Guild that morning. Carric was driving a covered wagon that people were taking shifts sleeping in. Kerri had made the mistake of telling her mentor, Master Xayoe Recklenton, that Elaine was amazing at sewing. Now the Cleric was sitting in the back of a wagon trying to sew costumes.

Before she'd left home, her father had told Kerri to go see Xayoe at the first opportunity. Back in the day, Xayoe was part of the Lirathan Entertainer's Guild, and a good friend of her father's. The older woman had left the Guild to become an adventurer and eventually settled down in Lorbridge at the Guild there.

When Kerri arrived, Xayoe was waiting for her, a letter for Kerri from her father in hand. Over the past three months, Kerri had learned a lot from Xayoe about the life of an adventurer, and about a Bard's role in the world.

Before, Kerri thought that a Bard's only role was to entertain people through stories and songs. They just were another facet of the Entertainer's Guild like the actresses, singers, and acrobats. She learned though, that to truly call oneself a Bard of the highest caliber, and not just a paid singer of stories, one must feel the _Words of Creation_.

These Bards can feel the magic in the wind as it whistles through the trees, the beat of a town or city as feet hit stone in a rhythm only they can hear. True Bards, take the magic around them into themselves, and expel it out, woven into their lyrics and through their instruments. The Gods spoke the world and all that surrounds it into being, and it is a Bard's job to take those _Words of Creation_ and harness them for themselves.

That is only the beginning of a Bard's role. Every lesson Xayoe would regal Kerri and her other pupils with stories of her adventures. Tales of heroic deeds performed by her party members, deadly battles they fought. The stories that resonated the most with Kerri, were the ones of the lost settlements, villages, and people that their party encountered. Groups who stories were lost to the world either through design or time. It was a fate Kerri wished to avoid for herself.

Xayoe's greatest lesson was that a Bard is a storyteller, first and foremost. They tell stories so they are not forgotten. Paper crumbles, memories fade, but a story and a song live on in each new person who hears it. The Gods didn't create the world just for it to be forgotten, they are far too vain for that. They created it to show off their power, to prove that they deserve to be worshipped. Bards feed off that vanity and use to remind the world of itself.

Seeing that Kerri only had a few months, Xayoe set up special lessons for Kerri. These lessons weren't about music however, these lessons were about survival. Kerri would spend days in different types of armor, train with new and unfamiliar weapons. Xayoe coached her in how to cast a spell in the middle of combat, and how to use her magic to help her allies. If Kerri was going to travel to dangerous areas in search of weapons, then Xayoe was going to make sure she came back alive.

That was something else, before any training started, Xayoe was adamant that Kerri tell her the truth. So, Kerri showed the mark on her back to Xayoe, and told her the same simple statement she'd told Ander. She saw something she shouldn't have, and the runic mark forced her into silence. Also that her ultimate goal from adventuring was the acquisition of weaponry.

Xayoe had silently traced the mark, before turning Kerri around to face her. The Half-Elven woman's dark face was stone as her amber eyes narrowed and focused on Kerri. Involuntarily Kerri gulped.

"Kerri, I've been around a long time, long enough to know when even the greatest are lying to me. You are not one of the greats." Xayoe stood up and began the process of making tea. "Years ago, when I was still new to the world of adventuring, I met another Bard, a gnome in the middle of his life. Even then he'd already lived longer than I could ever dream of. I bought him some drinks, and he told me a story that'd been passed down in his family. The story, of a book."

Xayoe poured water into two cups, her back turned to Kerri. "Long ago, back when the Gods were present in every aspect of our lives and visited often, a man dreamed of being one of them. He did many terrible things, but those happened on another world. The outcome however, is that he became what he desired, a God."

"How is what happened on another world relevant to ours?" Kerri asked. Xayoe turned around, two cups in her hands. She handed one to Kerri.

"After Vecna rose to Godhood, he began to develop followers on all worlds. In ours, his most prominent was a powerful Sorceress. She'd been involved in some of the greatest magical feats ever attempted in the world at the time, but she yearned for more. Where others had died performing those feats, she survived. Like Vecna, she wished to ascend to the level of a God.

"Something about her intrigued Vecna, enough for him to help her. He gifted her a magical tome of darkness. Held within it were the secrets of his ascension. The Gods, not wanting another intruder like Vecna, commanded their Followers to intervene. With the weight of several Gods behind them, the Sorceress was defeated.

"However, when they went to destroy the tome, they found that it was capable of defending itself. Several of its master's vanquishers were killed when a page was removed. With a blinding light the tome disappeared. It's reappeared over the millennia, always in the hands of those who follow an evil path."

Kerri had a gut feeling that she knew where this was going. "What does that have to do with me being a liar."

"The current owner of the book, resides in Liratha." Xayoe sat down and placed her still full cup on the small table between her and Kerri. Kerri's cup was half-full, and shook slightly in her hands. "He is what is referred to as a Necromancer, and has made himself useful enough to the Royal Family to be considered their friend. But of course, you would know more about him, seeing as you've met him."

Kerri couldn't meet Xayoe's eyes, but she felt herself give the tiniest of nods.

"Can I assume that you met through Maron?"

"Not directly." Kerri said hesitantly. She finally sat down her cup, took a large breath, and looked up. "I met him after I was approached by Maron's brother, Alec. He offered me a chance to marry Maron. While I was still thinking the offer over, I was approached by the man you're speaking of. He was human, and very handsome. He was dressed in a silk robe, and adorned with a multitude of jewelry. For all intents and purposes, he looked the part of a Royal. There was an unsettling air about him, but he was kind."

"Go on, what did he want?" Xayoe took a large drink of her tea.

"I was upset about the offer. In order to marry Maron, I would have had to give up my entire life. I loved Maron, but I didn't want to lose anymore of myself than I already had. The man, Maccus Leigh as he called himself, took me to his tower. I was so upset and confused, that I ignored the little voice in my head that told me to run away. He poured us some drinks, and we just sat there in silence in a little study. He didn't inquire as to what was wrong, he just sat in the chair across from me, sipping on his tea, and reading a piece of parchment that'd been lying on the table.

"We sat in silence for several minutes, but it didn't feel awkward or stressed. It was a relaxed silence, if that makes sense. I remember thinking that the tea was good. Finally, he looked up and asked me if I was feeling better. I shook my head and he kind of gave a sad smile." Kerri sat down her tea cup and leaned forward, her arms resting on her knees as she clenched her arms together. Her gaze had drifted away from Xayoe's again.

"I asked him why he'd brought me there, and he said he wanted to meet me. Wanted to meet the woman that made the Queen's veins pop. He gave a small chuckle as he said that, and then he explained that he was aware of the deal that the Prince had given me, and was curious as to my thoughts on it.

"I didn't have an answer for him, I was still trying to figure that out. That was when he offered another deal. A deal that would allow me to marry Maron, and keep my life." Kerri gave a small laugh and hung her head. "I was naïve and confused enough to ask him what the deal was.

"He said all I had to do, was be his Apprentice. He was looking for someone to work under him, and he'd had his eyes on me for a while. Work for him, and I could marry Maron. I remember asking him why I should trust him. He grinned, and told me that he had the Queen wrapped around his finger, and that she'd honor the agreement. I didn't believe him, after all, he'd just told me about the Queen's veins popping. I told him as much, and he asked me to wait, and he left the room.

"When he returned about ten minutes later, the Queen was with him. She sneered when she saw me. Maccus walked over to me, took my arm, and gently guided me over to stand in front of her. He explained the offer he'd made me to her. Her eyes didn't lose their coldness, but she nodded. 'It is better to be Maccus' Apprentice than an entertainer', was all she said." Kerri let out a shaky breath. "All I had to do to prove that I could hack the job, was to deliver an artifact to him.

"This seemed like the answer to all of my problems. I wasn't aware of what kind of magic Maccus wielded, but he was powerful enough to sway the Queen. Agreeing to their terms was the worst decision of my life.

"Maccus took me to second floor of his tower, where a book sat on a pedestal in the middle of the room. It was black, and the aura it radiated made my skin crawl. Behind me he locked the trapdoor, and I noticed that this room didn't have any windows. The only light came from the myriad of candles set into notches around the room. Maccus pulled a chair from along the wall, and set it down next to the book. He instructed me to sit in it, backwards so that my back faced him. As soon as I sat down, I felt myself freeze. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, even my gaze was locked onto a single stone slab on the floor.

"Behind me, I felt him tear my shirt open. He exposed the full of my back, and started to wipe it. He explained that he was cleaning it, getting it ready. I had no idea what he was getting it ready for. His movements weren't sensual, more methodical as he scrubbed and dried the area around my shoulder blades.

"I heard the book open, and the rustling of pages as he flipped through. Soon he stopped, and I heard him walk away. He picked something up, and then walked back. He told me that it would hurt, but that it'd be over soon. He started chanting, and cut into my skin. The pain was intense, but I couldn't move, I couldn't scream, I couldn't react. I was stuck in my own body as he carved into me."

Kerri's breathing had become very heavy as the very mark on her back seared with pain. The more she talked, the worst the pain became. Xayoe had moved so that she was kneeling on the ground next to the shaking girl. Kerri's brain screamed at her to stop talking, to stop the pain. Her heart on the other hand, urged her on, to finish telling the story.

"I don't know how long it took for him to finish, but I didn't fall unconscious until after the chanting had stopped. When I woke up, I was lying in a lavish bad. Next to me, doing needlework was the Queen.

"When she saw that I was awake, a look of genuine surprise took over her face. She told me that I was the first one to survive the ceremony. I was too groggy to ask her how many had come before me. As I sat up, she went back to sewing, but continued talking. She told me that since I'd survived, I'd probably need to know the rest of what I'd signed up for.

"The mark is my key to finding the artifact, whatever it may be. She had no idea what it was, just that Maccus was desperate to get it. If I failed to get the artifact, then the mark would kill me. She had no idea how long I had to get it, after all no one had ever survived receiving it before. She did mention that she'd had Maccus add a spell to it. One that would bring me pain whenever I talked about it or the circumstances surrounding it. Every time I talked, the pain would get worse and worse. Too much and it'd kill me."

Xayoe gasped, but Kerri shook her head.

"This is only the second time I've talked about this, and I'm not sure if the first time counts since I mostly lied." She gave a weak smile and continued. "She informed me that she'd spread a rumor around that I'd been exiled, so that I could leave Liratha without anyone, especially Maron questioning me. In no uncertain terms, the Queen ordered me to leave Maron out of this. If I didn't, the agreement I'd just made would be null and void, and everything I'd signed up for would be for naught.

"After that, I was escorted home to pack quickly, and then put on a ship." Kerri sighed and ran a hand through her hair. The pain was beginning to subside.

"How does that equate to you wanting weapons?" Xayoe asked as she moved to sit next to Kerri on the small loveseat.

"Simple, I want to kill Maccus and the Queen." Kerri stood up and stretched. "I grew up hearing everyone around me complain about the Royal Family. How they were killing their Kingdom, their people. When I was with Maron, I saw firsthand just how lowly the Royals see us.

"Maccus and the Queen had no idea that I was probably the last person they wanted to go on their quest." Kerri grinned and looked down at Xayoe.

"Why is that?"

"Have you ever heard of the Red Herrings?"

Xayoe nodded. "They're a small group of resistance fighters, so what? They have no real power."

"We have more power than you think." Kerri took Xayoe's old seat. "For a few years now we've been working on gathering contacts and relations. Our goal is take down the Royal Family and restructure the government. Give power back to the people and military. We want a fighting chance to reclaim our country from the Giants, but the Royal Family have done nothing but surrender to them for years. Now, the Royals are at their lowest point, and if I can find weapons and send them home, I can arm the Red Herrings, and we can finally succeed."

Xayoe didn't say anything for a few minutes as she sat there and just processed everything she'd been told. Kerri paced around the room, filled with happy energy. It felt so good to finally be able to tell someone all of this. She wanted to tell Elaine, but she hadn't even told Elaine about the Red Herrings yet. Also, she knew she had to be careful with who she told.

Maccus and the Queen had given Kerri an opportunity that her, and Maron, and the rest of the Red Herring had been waiting for. Even better, as part of an adventuring group she had a better shot of finding what she needed, and faster too.

It had come as shock to her, when they found the info about the evil book in the Dwarf Settlement. She was pretty sure that the escaped acolyte, then called Jaret, was Maccus now. How many evil books could exist in Liratha?

"You're determined to do this then?" Xayoe asked.

Kerri shrugged. "Don't really have much of a choice, so I might as well make the best of it. Will you help?"

"As much as I can."

After that night, Xayoe never brought up the subject again. Once or twice Kerri had tried to mention the resistance to her, but Xayoe never followed up. Kerri couldn't blame her. The Red Herrings were a small group, but she knew that they were getting larger every day. She hadn't any contact with them in months though. She didn't want to risk exposing the others, and she was sure that the Queen at the very least was keeping an eye on her.

Kerri also had to admit to herself that she was nervous about seeing Maron again. After all, she had been about to break up with him before Maccus got involved.

Because of her history with the Royal Family, Xayoe had made it abundantly clear that Kerri was not to interact with anyone from Liratha during the Welcome Party. She'd been relegated to behind-the-scenes work for the festivities.

The sun was already below the horizon as the caravan made its way into the city.

Before the civil war, Silverbank had held the distinction of being the seat of power for the Royals of old. Once upon a time the land underneath it could have been classified as a mountain, but so much stone had been carved out of it to build the city, that it was barely more than a glorified hill now. They'd left enough elevation so that a Palace sat in the center and lorded over all below it.

Once the city had been separated by three rings of walls. Nobility and those of Royal blood resided within the first ring that sat just below the Palace. The second was relegated to the merchant classes and their shops. The final ring was where everyone else lived.

During the course of the civil war, the third and second rings had been completely obliterated. The peasant and merchant classes had joined forces and rained their hatred upon the nobility who'd kept them at bay. The first ring was never completely demolished, partly due to the still-active magic spells upon it, and partly to serve as a reminder. Even so, the ring's gaps became part of the streets over the past hundred years or so.

The Palace still stands. Any damage it took during the war was fixed up afterwards, and now functions as the seat of the power for the Council of Six. The Council is made up of representatives from the six main cities in Marblebrooke: Lorbridge, Aleton, Esterwill, Osthom, Winter Horn, and Dayur. Silverbank itself has a representative, but that person is obligated to stay neutral on all matters, unless a tie needs breaking. This lack of representation is a topic of constant consternation for its citizens.

Another topic, is the town's lack of industry. Silverbank is very much a city of luxury and commerce. If you're looking for something particular, it'll probably be found there. There's a lot of craftsmen, but no raw materials. Places of industry were destroyed during the war, and instead of fixing or finding new locations, Silverbank relies on the cities under its watch to supply them with the raw materials. Particularly Lorbridge and Aleton.

For the majority of the year, over half of the Palace remains unoccupied. Only the audience chamber, guardhouses, kitchen, and guest rooms are in use. Diplomatic visitors, including Council representatives, are housed in the guest rooms. The audience chamber functions as a meeting room for the Council, and Silverbank affairs. The rest of the Palace is locked up and considered off-limits.

No official reason has been given for this. Many people say that the palace is haunted by the spirits of the slain nobles, while others think the Council just doesn't want to bother with maintaining an entire castle.

The Welcome Party for the Lirathan nobles was to be held in the main courtyard of the Castle. The caravan carried right on through town straight to the Palace. The party was to be held the following night.

The Guild set up camp in the Guard's training field.

The following morning, everyone was up at the crack of dawn. Kerri headed out with a crew to help set up the stage and props. Elaine and the other seamstresses were doing final fittings for the performers, and Carric had managed to sneak away.

Before she'd left camp, Kerri had a very large wig and cloak thrust upon her by Xayoe. Luckily Kerri's group weren't the only ones bustling around the large courtyard getting everything ready for that night.

Kerri and the others were called back later that afternoon, so that they could dress for the occasion. That's when Kerri found out that she'd been drafted for the position of server. Xayoe personally did her makeup for her, making it heavier than Kerri preferred. The wig from before was exchanged for a new blonde one that was styled so as to give her heavy bangs. Kerri dressed in a simple black skirt, and white blouse. A blue sash was tied around her waist, to mark as a member of the Entertainer's Guild if the need should arise.

Carric showed up right as Kerri and Elaine were about to leave for the Palace. He was wearing neatly pressed dark blue trousers, shined boots, a dark red silk shirt, and a black leather jerkin that was tied at the waist with a black belt and golden clasp. His red hair had been combed back.

"Where did this come from?" Kerri asked as she circled the Ranger.

"Koe," Carric fidgeted with his pants. "Figured that since Koe does a lot of official work due to their job, they'd have something I could borrow. It was either this or the dress."

"I would have liked to the see the dress." Elaine grinned. "Where's Shomma?"

"With Koe. We agreed that pets probably weren't allowed."

"Good call." Elaine hugged her arms closer to her, feeling the cool night breeze on her skin. She was wearing a floor-length green linen dress, covered with a sheer skirt that had small beads sewn into it. The bodice was tightly laced in the back, showing off her figure, but not showing skin. The sleeves went down to just past her elbows. A silver pin fastened a sheer white cape around her shoulders. The braids in her hair had been redone, and were gathered up in a ponytail that ended at her shoulder-blades. The only piece of jewelry she wore was her Holy Symbol. In her hands she was carrying a small wrapped package with a letter attached to it.

"What did you end up going with?" Carric took the package from Elaine, noting that it was easy to squeeze.

"A tablecloth, some mint and chamomile tea leaves, and an invitation to tea at the Lirathan Church." Elaine smiled.

"Think they'll accept?" Kerri asked as the three of them headed down with the rest of the Guild.

"Don't know, but now I've put the ball in their court."

Kerri separated from her friends shortly before they reached the main entrance of the Palace, and instead entered through the servant's entrance. A tray laden with pork bites was thrust into her hand, and she was pushed out into the crowd.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's Kerri's turn! I was truly on the fence for a while trying to decide if I was going to reveal that much of her backstory, but I ultimately decided that it needed to come out. So now you know, but the rest of the party doesn't know! Ander thinks he knows, but we'll see how that all turns out. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. It was originally written while I had a fever so I'm a little nervous.
> 
> Till next time!


	28. A Party to Remember

**Missteps**

**Chapter 28 – A Party to Remember**

As Kerri circled the large courtyard, a tray of lettuce wrapped pork bites balanced in front of her, she had to admire the decorations.

The courtyard itself was surrounded by a large wall, but care had been taken to ensure that the three large pine trees that were littered about the courtyard were untouched and healthy. Flowerbeds and benches were set up next to a large marble staircase that led up to the Main Entrance of the Palace itself. Above the tall wooden double doors, a six-pointed shield with a blazing torch in the center was etched into the stonework.

Streamers of bright aqua and dark maroon, the colors of the Lirathan Royal Family, hung suspended against the gray outside of the Palace. Little baubles of the same color scheme had been arranged on the pine trees. Standing tables covered with dark fabrics outlined a dance floor in the middle of the courtyard. Above the crowd, small glass beads of light were strung overhead. Kerri recognized the light as being to similar to Elaine's _Light_ spell.

A six-piece band was set up near the front. Right now they were playing light music, occasionally transitioning into more jaunty tunes as people started to occupy the dance floor. Later on in the night would be when the performances from the Entertainment Guild would take place.

Judging by the bits of conversation she was able to pick up as she glided from one group of hungry guests to another, most of the attendees were merchants. Many of them seemed focused on getting certain trade deals that had expired and fallen to the wayside back up to snuff. Apparently taking care of their citizens was not the only thing the Royal Family was bad at.

Kerri pointedly stayed away from Maron and his brother. The very last thing she wanted to do was to cause trouble. She was successful, with some help from Elaine, in avoiding Maron, but less successful with his brother.

"So, you gave up a life of luxury, to serve food to your former lover?" The man had shoulder-length blonde hair that was white at the tips. His clean-shaven face was pinched and narrow, a contrast to his slightly bulging physique. He was dressed in white trousers, over which he layered a dark maroon silk jacket. Across his chest was an aqua sash. He reached out and took a lettuce cup from her tray.

"I have nothing to say to you, Mervyn." Kerri tucked her now empty tray under her arm and turned to leave. Mervyn gracefully slid into her path.

"I do believe you meant to say 'Prince Mervyn', or 'Your Majesty'. I'll accept both." He smiled sweetly at her. He was only an inch taller than her.

Kerri took a moment to consider her next words. "From what I hear, even goats are acceptable as long as they follow orders." Kerri grinned as her words registered.

"That is a lie!" Mervyn spat out through gritted teeth. He reached out and grabbed Kerri's arm, pulling her closer to him. "Who did you hear that from? Who started that nasty rumor?" Mervyn's eyes were narrowed as his face started to redden. Apparently the joke had gotten out of hand since she'd left home.

"Let go of me." Kerri wrenched her arm out of his grasp. "I don't have to tell you anything." She walked past him.

"I'm not done-" Mervyn started, but Kerri didn't hear the rest. As he'd turned to once again grapple Kerri, another server had attempted to walk past the two of them. Kerri wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow the server's full drink tray ended up all over Kerri's back.

"Rightfully deserved." Mervyn gave a scathing laugh and walked away. The now-flustered server tried to pat Kerri's back dry.

"That's not going to help." Xayoe said as she swept over. She gently instructed the server to pick up the spilled mugs, while catching the attention of another one to bring some rags for the mess on the floor. After the orders had been given, Xayoe pulled Kerri back to the kitchen.

"The party's only been going on for an hour and a half, and already you've disobeyed orders." Xayoe clicked her tongue as she led Kerri past the kitchens and up the servant stairs.

"Mervyn talked to me first."

"Prince Mervyn," Xayoe corrected.

"Turd Mervyn is more like it." Kerri scoffed. They came out into the Main hall, and Xayoe continued down it.

"From what I hear, the second eldest wasn't much better. What was his name again? Merril?"

"Mirdale." Kerri supplied. "I only ever met him once, and I can't say I'm too surprised he ended up dead."

"How did he die?" Xayoe opened a door and ushered Kerri into a simply appointed room consisting of a couch, a coffee table, two bookshelves, and a full-length mirror.

"Maron said something about him being murdered." Kerri's train of thought floated away as she spied the large wooden chest on the table. "What is that?"

"Why don't you go find out?" Xayoe laughed as Kerri practically ran over and flung the chest open. The younger bard's eyes widened as she removed the dark, rich, red, and velvet dress.

"I knew it was going to be impossible for you to stay away from the Prince, it just hadn't been the Prince I was thinking of." Xayoe took the dress out of Kerri's arms and began arranging it on the couch.

"Wait, am I putting that on?"

"Of course you are." Xayoe started undoing the bodice of the dress.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to draw attention to myself? Stay behind the scenes?"

"Attention's already been drawn, so we might as well make sure you come out looking good." Xayoe send Kerri a bemused look. "Besides, it's a courtyard, there's not a lot of places to hide you."

"You were just waiting for this, weren't you?" Kerri started to undress.

"I am a Master of a highly respected Guild, it wouldn't do for me to not be prepared for any situation. Also, we're Bards, we thrive off of causing controversy."

The dress fit Kerri well. They'd had to pull the bodice waist in quite a bit, but Xayoe explained that the original owner was a bit bigger than Kerri. She couldn't remember if the dress had been made for a man or a woman, but it ultimately didn't matter.

Xayoe didn't have any shoes for Kerri, but since the hem lightly kissed the floor it didn't really matter. Underneath, the dress had several layers that helped it to fan out and flow around her, without getting tangled up in her legs. The sleeves hugged her upper arms tightly, before billowing out and falling loose. Around her waist, a silver cord was wrapped around several time. The wrapping started several inches above and criss-crossed down, it end tails left lying down the front. The bodice was tight around Kerri's chest, and it'd obviously been made for someone with a small one. Cleavage was showing, but no more than she was used to.

On her back, Xayoe covered the mark with heavy stage make-up. Kerri had waited with baited breath to see if it'd even work. Even if it didn't, only the very top portion of the Mark would have been exposed, but Kerri didn't want to risk it. The make-up worked.

Her hair was styled over her right ear, concealing the missing tip. The last thing after a little make-up, was strapping Kerri's dagger along her inner thigh. Originally she'd had it tucked into the small of her back while in the server's uniform.

"I want you to go out the main doors." Xayoe explained as the two of them finally left the room. The main doors were at the end of the hall. "If we time it right, you should walk out just as the dancers are finishing their performance."

"You have this way too planned out." Kerri shook her head and nervously smoothed out a few wrinkles. It'd been a while since she'd attended a fancy party.

"Count slowly to one hundred before you walk out. Breathe, you got this." Xayoe gave her a small hug, before she bustled back towards the servants' stairs.

Kerri turned to face the door, took in a large breath, and start to count softly to herself.

 _100, 99, 98._ What would she do when got to the bottom of the staircase? Had Xayoe set it up for someone to be waiting for her? An escort? Would Carric be there? Or would Maron be there like all the other times?

 _56, 55, 54._ Did she want Maron to be there? She couldn't lie to herself and say that she didn't still have feelings for him. Hell, she'd agreed to Maccus' terms on the chance that she could be with him.

 _22, 21, 20._ How was she supposed to explain to him all the soul-searching she'd done on the boat and after? How could she describe the weight that had lifted off her shoulders as she'd watched the Lirathan coast fade from view? How was she supposed to explain something she was still figuring out?

 _3, 2, 1._ She took another deep breath, let it out slowly, and walked forward. As she did, the doors swung open without her touching them. As he stepped to the side quickly, Kerri made eye contact with a Lirathan Royal Guard named Nimin, a one-time boyfriend turned friend. Nimin sent her a smile and inclined his head towards the stairs.

Below, Kerri could the last of the Guild dance troupe disappearing out the Main Gates. No one seemed to notice her arrival, and Kerri was both happy and disappointed. As soon as she reached the edge of the landing however, that changed.

There was a loud clang of metal meeting stone. Halfway down the steps, stood a short, scrawny figure with black dreadlocks. They wore a white skirt that reached to the ends of their knees with flower patterns embroidered up the sides. Their shirt was a pale yellow made out of a flowy sheer material. It was hard to tell whether it was a man or a woman.

Around their neck was a familiar white weasel, and in their hands was a long metal rod that was capped in gold.

"It is my honor as Nakrackoe Rapper, Official Representative of Silverbank, so decided upon by the Council of Six, to officially welcome to our fair city the Princes Mervyn and Maron of Liratha." The person gestured towards the Princes in the crowd and it elicited some polite applause. While they'd been talking, Kerri had kept walking. As soon as she was level with the Representative, they stuck out a hand and halted her progress.

"I would also like to take this time, to offer sanctuary within Marblebrooke's borders, to exiled Lirathan native, Kerri Evenwood. This is upon the recommendation of Guild Master Xayoe Recklenton; Head of the College of Valor for the Entertainer's Guild." Nakrackoe Rapper turned to Kerri and extended their hand. "Do you accept this offer of sanctuary?"

Awestruck, Kerri nodded and accepted the hand.

"I do need you to verbally agree." They grinned at her.

"Yes." Kerri said loudly.

"Kerri Evenwood is now under the protection of the Kingdom of Marblebrooke. You may go back to your dancing now." The Representative offered their arm and escorted Kerri down the rest of the steps. Waiting for them at the bottom was Carric and Elaine.

"I thought you said pets weren't allowed?" Carric didn't wait for a response before he reached out and took Shomma.

"Pets, no. Ranger animal companions, certain exceptions can be made." The Representative stuck out a hand to Kerri again. "Nice to meet you finally Kerri. I'm Koe. Carric's told me a lot about you and Elaine."

"I didn't realize you were Silverbank's Representative." Elaine fed some pork to Shomma.

"Recent title, I assure you. I usually try to stay out of politics, but the job came with a house."

"Did Xayoe put you up to this?" Kerri crossed her arms. Even standing next to Koe Kerri couldn't tell if they were male or female, and according to Carric that was how Koe liked it.

"All she asked was if I could do anything to make sure that the Lirathan's at the party didn't arrest you." Koe's attention was caught then by a passing server with a tray of food. "If you'll excuse me."

"Nice dress." Carric commented as Koe scampered off. "We were wondering whether we'd be seeing you again or not tonight after the run with that Prince."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Well, speaking of Princes, you've got incoming." Carric nodded behind Kerri. Looking over her shoulder, she spotted Maron walking towards her.

"Need me to block?" Elaine straightened up. Somehow Shomma had ended up cradled in her arms.

"No, it's probably time that this played out." Kerri took a deep breath, and with a thumbs up from her friends, headed to meet Maron.

"I half expected you to run away." Maron joked as the two of them met up.

"So did I," Kerri had been bracing herself for the mark on her back to sear with pain with every step closer she took to Maron, but so far there was nothing. "How are you?"

Maron gave a small laugh. "Pretty sure I should be asking you that." The air between them was full of tension. Neither one of them seemed to know what to say.

The band transitioned into another song. They'd been doing a mix of Marblebrook and Lirathan songs, and the song they played now was a staple at any Lirathan function.

Maron grinned and held out a hand towards Kerri. Wordlessly she took it and allowed him to pull towards the dance floor. Several couples had already taken up positions, and they joined in. This was a dance that both of them had grown up learning, and had danced together several times. The steps weren't hard, but the song had a changing tempo that could be hard to keep up with.

The song was part of a larger story, a romance that was common folklore in Liratha. The story was about two lovers who'd been separated by war and circumstance. This particular song was about the time the lovers spent apart. Kerri's father had performed the ballad for years onstage, giving life to the stories the lovers each told the other on the three occasions they were able to be reunited.

Dancing with Maron again, each of them falling easily into the old steps, Kerri's mind wandered back.

Kerri had met Maron while the two of them had been assigned together on a mission for the Red Herrings. At the time, Maron was a member of the Thieves' Guild. Now, they'd seen each other in passing, Troupe performances or just around the city, but they'd never been introduced.

The two of them spent six days posing as a couple on holiday at a small village on the Southern Coast. Their mission was to case out the fishing operations, see if they could be used as a smuggling port.

The spark between them was instantaneous. They worked well together as a team and were paired together quite often. At the time, Maron being a Prince wasn't even an issue. He never used his position, kept to the shadows, and his loyalties were to the Thieves' Guild, Red Herring, and eventually Kerri, in that order.

This went on for several months. Once Maron's brother Mirdale died, that was when things changed. Maron was recalled back to the Palace where he took up his brother's duties. For everyone's safety, he cut ties with his former comrades. Kerri assumed that her time with Maron was over.

Barely a week after Maron became a Prince again, a package was delivered to Kerri's home. Inside was a gorgeous cotton dress with pink stripes, and a note from Maron. She'd been invited to tea with the Royal Family, under the name of 'Kory Unlon'.

That was the start of many Royal and Noble functions that she attended as 'Kory Unlon', the orphaned daughter of a Pryrian merchant whose parents had been killed by giants. Thankfully they'd left her quite the inheritance.

The experience was fun, for a while. She and Maron were able to be a couple out in the open. Kerri was able to experience what life was like for the elite of Liratha. From what she could tell, they enjoyed the finer things in life. Expensive meats, drinks, clothing. All of the clothing that she wore was picked out by Maron, and judging by everyone's comments he had simply chosen popular styles.

When the two of them were able to be alone, which wasn't as often as either one of them liked, their conversations seemed to revolve more around filling out 'Kory's' backstory. At one point, Maron even considered reaching out to old contacts in order to create the necessary documentation to make 'Kory' real on paper. Maron seemed more interested in Kory becoming a permanent part of his life than Kerri.

Maron didn't even seem to realize how big of a toll 'Kory' was taking on Kerri's life. She'd had to stop performing publicly with her Troupe for fear of anyone recognizing her. The functions took up so much of her time that she wasn't able to be as involved with the Troupe or the Red Herrings as much as she would have liked.

After a while, the extravagance of the parties wore off and all she began to see was waste. She saw the obvious waste of food and resources from the parties themselves, but she began to see the waste of space that many of the Nobles and government officials occupied. Many of them seemed more concerned with lining their own pockets and filling their own bellies than the well-being of the people they supposedly served. A common solution to the growing beggar problem was to simply ship them off to the borders and let the giants eat them. The world of the nobility seemed to work off the idea that if they didn't see the problem, it didn't exist.

Before Kerri had believed that the biggest problem Liratha had was the Royal Family. That it was the Royal Family pulling back the armies from the borders, and taking the food from the common people. Now, she knew that it was a much deeper issue.

If anything, the whole experience made her believe even more in the Red Herrings mission. Kerri's ardent wish became to save her country from itself.

Maron twirled Kerri effortlessly, and then pulled her down into a dip. As she was hauled forward, for a moment their faces were just inches away from each other. Kerri stared deep into his green eyes, eyes that she still saw every time she closed her eyes.

With her faith renewed in the mission, Kerri had to make a few choices. She couldn't be 'Kory' and 'Kerri', she had to choose. That part was easy; Kerri, every time.

The hard part, was choosing to end her relationship with Maron. She knew Maron was always going to be a Prince, there was no going back for him. But to accomplish what she wanted to do, she couldn't be tied down to someone like him.

For days she agonized over how to break up with him, to explain to him that what they wanted in life was different. The day she went to talk to him, Mervyn had stopped her in the hall. He told her that he knew the whole story (which Kerri highly doubted), and that all he wanted was to see his little brother happy. He said he had the paperwork to make 'Kory Unlon' real in every way ready. He'd even arranged for her to be adopted by a prominent family in Marblebrooke to help sell the story. It had seemed to Kerri that he was telling the truth.

Right after that, Maccus had come with his deal. Kerri had accepted Maccus's deal for three reasons. 1) She kept her identity. 'Kory' had been a great character to play, but her time had ended. 2) Working for Maccus meant that Kerri would hopefully be privy to insider knowledge that would be helpful for the Red Herrings. Now that they could no longer rely on Maron they were in desperate need of a new channel of information. 3) There was a chance for her and Maron. Kerri couldn't deny the romantic side of her that still held out hope for a happily ever after.

Afterwards, only one of those reasons still remained relevant. It was freeing however to realize that she didn't have to worry about blowing some kind of cover. In Marblebrooke, she could be herself again, she could even reinvent some parts of herself.

"Where are you?" Maron's voice said in her ear suddenly. Kerri gave a small jump, one that was quickly stifled. That was when she realized that the song had changed and the two of them were now in a tight embrace, swaying softly to the sweet melody. "You seemed like you were miles away."

"I was just remembering the past." Kerri laid her head down on Maron's chest. She told herself that she'd cause more of a scene leaving in the middle of a song.

"So was I." Maron chuckled. "I saw you in all those pale pink and yellow dresses. I'm sorry to say, but they did not fit you."

"In what way?"

"For one thing, they were too frilly. You looked like a decorative pillow."

Kerri looked up in shock. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You seemed to enjoy wearing them and I didn't want to insult you."

"The only reason I wore them was because you bought them for me. I didn't want to seem rude and not wear them. To be honest, I hated them."

Maron's face screwed up. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have gotten you clothes you liked to wear."

"You were the expert in those fancy parties, so I deferred to you. Besides, it was your money, and you always commented on how nice I looked so I thought you liked me in them."

"It doesn't matter if I liked them, you were the one wearing them. I just chose the dresses my cousin recommended. It's not like you were a doll I was playing dress up with."

Kerri scoffed.

"What's that for?"

"I was a doll, a doll named 'Kory'." Kerri turned her attention towards the crowd. She suddenly found it very hard to keep her voice low.

Maron didn't immediately answer.

"Mervyn told me about the offer he made you." Maron finally said. "Why didn't you take it?"

"Why do you think?" Kerri's tone came out bitter. "How would you feel if you were asked to give up your entire life?"

"I wasn't asked."

Kerri blinked. She hadn't been expecting that. "What do you mean?"

"Did it never occur to you how it might have felt to me having to leaving the Red Herrings and everyone behind just to become some pampered Prince again? A life I'd literally stepped away from years before." Maron slowly twirled Kerri again. "Did you ever stop and consider, that I worked so hard on 'Kory' as a desperate ploy to keep the one person in my life that I felt I couldn't live without by my side?"

"You never even asked if I wanted to stay by your side!" It took Kerri a moment to realize that she'd said that a lot louder than she'd meant to. Maron took hold of her wrist and pulled her off the dance floor, towards a secluded corner of the courtyard. Looking behind her, Kerri saw several of her allies keep Mervyn and some of the Lirathan guards from following.

Even after they entered the shadowy corner, Maron didn't let go of her wrist. The two of them were standing several feet apart, but were connected.

"I never asked because I didn't think I had to." Maron said softly, looking at her. His tone held a note of hurt in it. "After I went back to the Palace, I needed something, someone, to ground me. I needed you, and it never occurred to me that you wouldn't be there."

Kerri had to fight urge to hug Maron. He looked so small in that instance, smaller than she'd ever seen him.

"Maron, I always got the feeling that there was more to you returning to the Palace, something you never told me. You seemed to approach your duties as Prince with a dogged sense of purpose. You changed in a way I couldn't understand, a way you wouldn't let me understand." Kerri's hand was limp in Maron's grasp. She was done trying to fight, for the moment. "We both changed, and we stopped talking to each other. So talk to me now."

Maron took a shuddering breath. "I killed Mirdale. I killed my brother." He admitted with a shaky breath, dropping Kerri's wrist. Maron ran a shaking hand through his hair. "The Thieves' Guild had discovered a slave trade in the Northern Territories. We were already tracking the ringleaders of the group when we joined forces with the Red Herrings.

"Eventually it came to light that the main financial backer of the group was Mirdale. He'd been siphoning government funds to the slavers. That was only the latest of Mirdale's crimes that had come to light. My brother was fond of violence in all forms, even towards family.

"It was Rowan who'd finally given the order for his death. Mirdale had done too much not to be punished, and with him gone there'd be no one to back the traders anymore. I volunteered to lure him out." Maron moved to lean against the cool stone of the wall.

"We met up for dinner, a private home controlled by the Guild. I passed it off as mine and Mirdale seemed to buy it. I got him drunk. He was an accomplished fighter and I needed to limit his ability to fight back.

"As he drank, I praised him, stroked his ego, tried to get any information I could out of him before the assassins arrived. It worked, he started telling me everything. All the little schemes he was in charge of. How he laundered money through local merchants, provided safe passage for ships carrying drugs, counterfeit art, and people through the ports. He gave me names, places, so much so that I started to write it all down on the tablecloth.

"He saw that as my enthusiasm for what he then called 'the family business'." Maron's tone turned harsh and curt. "He hadn't been siphoning money, it'd been given freely to him by Mother. Running these schemes and making sure that they had all the money was how the Royal Family had stayed in charge for so many years. He admitted that they only kept the Pelor Cardinal locked up because they hated him. They wanted him dead, but they knew they couldn't do it themselves so now they're waiting for him to die of old age.

"And the Giants, my family isn't interested in stopping them. Years ago they made a deal with the Giants. The land the Giants took, was actually sold to them in exchange for precious jewels and large amounts of gold. Even now, they sell off bits of land a few times a year."

Kerri heard a heavy thud as Maron slammed his fist against the wall. "Mirdale was so proud of all that the family had accomplished. He didn't care in the slightest about the people he'd hurt, about the families he'd destroyed with any of his enterprises. I was so mad, that before I knew what I was doing, I was on my feet shoving a bottle of poison down his throat.

"The actual assassins arrived a few minutes later. No one said anything, they just roughed me up, took the tablecloth, and made sure the Town Guard was alerted. No one, not even my mother and brother, suspected that I was to blame.

"I went back to the Palace, not because I wanted or needed to be there for my family. I went back because I needed to know the full extent of the corruption I'd been born into." By this point Maron was on the ground, knees to his chest, fully hidden in shadow.

Kerri kneeled down next to him and stroked his hair. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I wasn't ready to accept all of it myself. I was still processing everything I'd learned, and my mother was watching me like a hawk. I had to be careful." He gave a heavy sigh and buried his head. They sat like that for a few minutes, just the two of them. It was as if the party just a few yards away had melted away.

Finally, Maron tilted his head and looked up at Kerri. "You're turn, what are you hiding from me?"

"I honestly wish I could tell you, but I can't." Kerri gave him a sad smile. She sat down and leaned her head on his shoulder. "What happened to us?"

"Life, and a failure to communicate." The two of them shared a small chuckle. "We should probably rejoin the party, my brother is starting to pace over there."

Kerri sighed, nodded, and they stood up.

"There is one more thing I should tell you."

"What now?"

Maron snaked a hand around Kerri's waist and started leading her back towards the party. "I'm due to be violently kidnapped any minute now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry this chapter is late! I got food poisoning and couldn't update. I hope all of you enjoy this chapter, and more of a look into Kerri and Maron's past! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Till next time!


	29. Party Crashers

**Missteps**

**Chapter 29 – Party Crashers**

As Maron and Kerri rejoined the party, Maron's arm still around her waist, Nimin ran up to join them around a table.

"Everything ok?" Nimin pointedly inclined his head at Kerri's waist.

"Better than it was." Kerri knew that she should move away from Maron, but she felt at ease with the familiar weight on her hip. She was seeing just how close she could get before the Mark on her back forced her away. So far it wasn't burning or even making its presence known. Had the Queen been lying about the enchantment Maccus had placed in it? Had Maccus lied to the Queen?

"I'm glad to hear that." Nimin smiled, a sense of relief covering his face. "Mervyn's been watching the two of you like a hawk ever since you started to dance." The three of them glanced at the pine tree closest to the staircase, where Mervyn had parked himself. Two Lirathan guards stood close by, but his attention was fixated on his brother.

Kerri took a moment to scan the area for her compatriots. Elaine and Xayoe had found themselves in the company of Marblebrooke guards, while Koe was wandering the courtyard, food and drink in hand with Shomma around his neck.

"Where's Carric?" Kerri twisted her head around straining to see the Half-Elf.

"If you're looking for the redhead, he disappeared inside the Palace with Kanen about five minutes ago." Nimin grinned as he named another of the Lirathan guards. During the party, both Lirathan and Marblebrooke had about four guards each roaming around.

"Nimin, you got any other weapons on you besides just that longsword?" Maron suddenly asked, hiding his mouth behind a drink flute he'd snatched from a passing server.

"No, should I?" Nimin's eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"Probably wouldn't hurt. Rowan's made arrangements for me to be kidnapped."

"I believe 'violently kidnapped' is how you described it to me." Kerri corrected. Nimin sighed.

"How 'violently' are we talking about?" As an associate of the Red Herrings, Nimin was well aware of how out-of-control some of Rowan's plans could go. Inside Liratha Rowan was a great asset, but if she had to contract work to outsiders then she tended to go down the cheap and easy path.

"Can you get another weapon or not?" Maron asked exasperatedly.

"Daniel's got two longswords on him, and Mervyn is wearing a rapier. We might be able to get some off of them." Claxons started to sound from one of the Palace's towers. Nimin turned his attention to Kerri. "You should get out of here."

"I can help fight, whatever is coming I've faced worse." Kerri steeled her eyes.

"This might be less about fighting and more about distracting." Maron commented. Around them Elaine, Xayoe, and Koe had taken charge on directing people into the Palace. None of them were in view of the open Main Gates, but the sounds of fighting and yelling began filtering through. Shomma was now with Elaine.

"Give me a flame and I can put on a show." Kerri reached under her skirt and pulled out her dagger. "I'm not the same as back in Liratha, I don't need to be protected."

"You never needed to be." Maron smiled softly down at Kerri before his face stiffened into seriousness. "Do you prefer a rapier or a longsword?"

"Rapier,"

"Good." Maron reached out and took the dagger out of Kerri's hand. "Go get Mervyn's. He's lousy with swords." His eyes suddenly darted up to the rooftop, along with Kerri's. "We've got two above."

"Three," Kerri pointed up to a third skulking shadow. Close by, Koe had obviously seen the shadows as well. Reaching under their shirt, Koe pulled out a silver chain with a pendent of a silver bow. They said a word and the pendent swelled in size to form a longbow. As Koe went to nock an arrow, an arrow materialized into place.

The shouting from outside the Main Gates grew louder as four hulking figures ran into the courtyard. Four Orcs, all of them wearing ratty hide armor and tattered clothing attacked the two closest Marblebrooke guards. A trio of green-skinned Goblins scurried in their wake.

The crowd of party-goers went into a frenzy trying to cram themselves up the marble staircase and into the Palace. Xayoe stood at the foot of the stairs, trying to direct them. Elaine covered the rear of the mob, already summoning a glowing mace.

"She sent Orcs to kidnap you?" Nimin gritted out as he pulled his longsword. "They're more likely to kill you instead."

"We can discuss Rowan's hiring methods later. I'll distract them away from the crowd, you two get those weapons and back me up." Maron reached out and kissed Kerri's forehead. "We'll continue our talk later." Kerri nodded, and Maron ran towards a large pine tree away from the crowd.

Nimin and Kerri struck out across the courtyard. The Guards at the Main Gate put up a fight, but were ultimately taken down by Great Axes.

Above, the Goblin shadows fired arrows down at the lone figures putting up a fight. Their aims weren't the best, but both Xayoe and Koe had tears in their clothing. The archers weren't a problem for long. Koe fired into the shadows and a moment later a small body tumbled off the roof. Their second arrow elicited a cry of pain from another assailant. The arrows stopped after that.

Just as she reached Mervyn, who was struggling along the edge of the mass of bodies up the staircase, Xayoe's voice rang in Kerri's head.

' _What in the Seven Hell's is happening?'_

' _Maron's overzealous kidnapping, courtesy of Rowan.'_ Out loud Kerri heard Xayoe curse. She might be more on the fringes of Lirathan inner politics, but even Xayoe knew the main players in Liratha's Thieves' Guild, and their reputations. The older Bard stepped away from the crowd and spent the next minute muttering and concentrating on a spell. At the end, a softly glowing ornate golden door materialized in the air in front of her. The door opened, showing a large foyer.

"Get inside!" Xayoe yelled out to the bottle-necked crowd. Some of them didn't question her and quickly scrambled inside the door, while others preferred the non-glowing door.

Kerri didn't pause as she reached Prince Mervyn, just immediately reached down and tried to grab the rapier on his waist.

"What are you doing?" Mervyn cried, twisting his hips out of Kerri's grasp. Nimin simply barked a command at another Guard who handed over a longsword without debate. The third Lirathan Guard had rushed to support the ones at the Main Gate, but he now laid on the ground, headless.

"Hoping to put that sword of yours to actual use." Kerri gritted out, clamoring for his sword belt.

"Is this really the best time for a proposition?"

Kerri paused and looked up at Mervyn.

"I'm talking about your rapier, not your penis." She said coldly. Mervyn gulped.

"I knew that." The Prince unsheathed his sword and handed it over.

Kerri took the sword and turned around. Maron was surrounded by two Goblins and an Orc. She could barely see him as he tried to use the tree's branches as cover, but the Orc's Axe merely cut through them.

"Kerri, help Koe!" Elaine yelled from her left. The Cleric was standing halfway up the staircase, still covering the civilians. Her glowing mace was playing whack-a-mole with a Goblin a few yards away. Following Elaine's outstretched finger, Kerri saw that Koe was surrounded by the remaining three Orcs. Two of them were bloodied, but whether or not it was their own blood was hard to tell. Koe had an arrow in one hand and was attempting to stab their way out of their predicament.

Kerri ran forward and shoved her way into the mass, forcing Koe behind her.

"Hang on!" With a yelled incantation, Kerri let loose a _Thunderwave_. Everyone around her grunted as the thunderous force washed over them. The accompanying thunderclap rattled the Palace windows. None of the Orcs were swept off their feet but it was enough of a distraction for Koe and Kerri to get a few steps back from the gang.

The two of them were barely out of the way before a glowing blue light skittered along the ground in front of them. Looking over their shoulder, they saw that the light emanated from a ring that Xayoe was holding out in front of her. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration as she traced a shape in the air. The blue line outlined a large square, trapping all of the Orcs and Goblins within, and Maron. Once the outline was completed, the whole area shimmered for a second before suddenly everything was thrown upwards.

Tables, discarded trays, the lifeless bodies of the Guards, and of course the attackers were thrown a hundred feet in the air. It was as if there was an invisible ceiling that no one could get traction on. The Orcs yelled out in rage, attempting to push themselves back down to the ground. Maron and one of the Goblins around him had managed to entangle themselves in the Pine tree, both of them hanging on for dear life.

"A little warning would have been nice." Koe said as Xayoe jogged up to meet them. The ranger took the opportunity to take a few shots at the Orcs, but found that their aim was gone the moment the arrows passed into the square. "What did you do?"

"I reversed the gravity" There was a large grin on Xayoe's face. "This is only the second time I've been able to get the spell off right. Last time my aim was off."

"How long does this last?" The words were barely out of Kerri's mouth before the spell broke and gravity returned to normal. The Orcs fell back down, their bodies bouncing as they hit the hard stone. Maron tumbled heavily out of the tree, along with the Goblin who quickly jumped up and scampered back up the tree and over the wall.

Kerri moved to run towards Maron, but Xayoe stopped her.

"I'll check on Maron, I need you to go to the Gates and assess the situation. Our people might be trapped in the fighting." Kerri desperately wanted to disobey Xayoe, but her Master's eyes held no room for disobedience. Reluctantly Kerri ran over to the Main Gate, rapier in hand. Nimin and Koe joined her. Xayoe rushed over to Maron's crumbled form.

The Orcs that had made their way inside the Main Gate had been barely a fraction of the force that was still fighting outside. Even though the Guards outnumbered them two to one, the Orcs were winning.

Nimin nudged Kerri and pointed towards a row of lit torches along the outside of the wall.

"You said something about a show?"

Kerri grinned. She surveyed the grounds, and then turned her attention to the top of the wall. Already Koe was scaling it, staking out a position along the top.

"Get ready to hand them up to me." Kerri and Nimin clapped hands quickly, and then separated. The two of them had worked well as a couple, but ultimately they'd found that they worked together better as a team, no romance involved.

Koe reached down and offered Kerri a hand as she scrambled up the wall. Just as she topped the wall and settled down next to Koe, Xayoe's voice entered her mind once again.

' _I'm sorry.'_

Kerri twisted around and looked over at the pine tree. Maron was sprawled out, Xayoe on her knees by his side, a copper wire held to her lips like a harmonica. The two of them locked eyes, and Xayoe shook her head slowly.

' _Maron's gone.'_ Xayoe's voice said softly in Kerri's mind.

It was like an iron ball had just been deposited into Kerri's stomach. Beneath her, she heard Nimin call her name. She could feel the heat of the torch he was extending up towards her, but that was the only warmth she felt. A ringing filled her ears as her eyes focused on the still body of Maron. From here she didn't have a good look at his face, but she could imagine it. It was as if she was collapsing in on herself.

Suddenly her face was jerked upward. Koe's eyes were steel as they bored into hers.

"Not yet." Koe annunciated the words slowly. "Focus on the task at hand. Channel your feelings towards the Orcs. The Orcs are to blame, so make them pay."

Make them pay. Those words resonated within her. That steel ball in her stomach lifted up, bringing her up instead of down.

Nimin passed her up two torches, then turned and joined in the fighting.

For the spell she had in mind, Kerri knew that she had to be within sixty feet of the flame. Looking around, she tried to find a good place to pitch one of the torches. Thirty feet out, she found a training dummy that was miraculously still standing amidst the fighting.

"Koe, can you light that dummy on fire?" Kerri pointed out with one of the torches. The ranger didn't answer, they were already in the process of drenching the tip of one of their arrows in oil (pulled from who knows where). Koe's skirt was torn and the fabric had been used to tightly wrap the tip.

"Let's do this quickly." Koe stood up and nocked their arrow. "You light it, and I'll fire. The fire won't last long on this."

" _Fire true,_

_Fire long,_

_Fire hot,_

_And Fire soon!"_ Kerri sung out quickly in _Inspiration_ as she touched the torch to the arrow's tip. As soon as the fire leaped over, Koe released the arrow. For a moment it looked as if the arrow was going to overshoot the dummy, but it dipped and landed with a thud. Unfortunately the spark was snuffed out by the landing.

"Let's try again." Kerri reached to tear her skirt this time, but Koe stopped her.

"No time." Koe jumped down on the other side, grabbed another torch, and took off towards the dummy. They barely made it ten feet before an Orc got a passing blow off them.

Kerri scrambled to her feet, dropping one of the torches in the process, so she could get a better view of Koe's downed form. Their torch was still lying lit on the ground. With a magic word and a few quick hand motions, Kerri cast her spell.

The torch's fire seemed to curl in on itself as it was extinguished, with no smoke rising out. Barely half a second passed by before the fire roared back to life with loud piercing popping sounds. Bursts of color jetted out, bathing a ten foot area around the torch in a rainbow of bright fireworks. Only a few of the Guards and Orcs managed to avert their gaze in time. For a few moments of the aftermath, blinded combatants swung at whoever happened to be in front of them.

Kerri scrambled along the wall, towards a thick clump of Orcs. This time she didn't even bother trying to light anything on fire. With a grunt she chucked the torch out in the middle of the clump. Before it disappeared into the writhing mass, she cast _Pyrotechnics_ again and the same light show exploded out.

Behind her, standing on the marble staircase, Carric stood watching the scene, a longsword he'd stolen off a suit of armor in his hand. In the brief moment that Kerri's back was in shadow from the light show in front of her, he could just make out a faintly glowing symbol peeking out the top of her dress.

Orcs might not be the brightest race, but even they can realize that pretty colors and loud bangs that like mean magic. The mob started to beat a hasty retreat, their Goblin compatriots disappearing into the shadows around them. The Orcs ran into town, chased by the town Guard. Koe stayed back, but fired into the hurtling mob until they were out of sight.

Kerri watched the Orcs run. She was afraid to turn around. She didn't want to see that scene by the tree. Not again.

Nimin ran back into the courtyard.

"Are you coming down?" He asked up at Kerri, who was now kneeling on the wall.

"Not yet," Kerri could feel the lead ball sinking back down. "I can't see him like that."

"See who?"

"Maron, by the tree." Kerri's voice was low. She heard Nimin move around.

"Kerri, there's no one by the tree."

Kerri jerked her head up, and turned on her heel so quickly that she almost fell, but caught herself. The area around the tree was deserted. Kerri jumped down and began scanning the area. Looking around the courtyard, she couldn't see Maron, Xayoe, Mervyn, or any Lirathan's besides herself and Nimin.

She immediately took off towards the Palace, running up the marble staircase. She doesn't even seem to notice Carric as she rushed past. Throwing open the door she pushed past the dozens of party-goers that had jammed themselves into the foyer. Immediately questions were shouted at her, asking if the Orcs were gone, were the guards there yet, was it safe to leave?

Kerri ignored all of them as she headed for the room that Xayoe had pulled her into before. She burst into the room in time to see Elaine administer Pelorian Last Rites on Maron's body.

Maron was lying on the couch, still and pale. Mervyn was sitting on the coffee table, his head buried in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Xayoe stood to the side, she was the first one to reach Kerri.

"Kerri, I'm so sorry. By the time I reached him he'd already succumbed to his injuries." Xayoe's makeup was stained with tear tracks. As she spoke, a new batch welled up in her eyes.

"Let me see him." Kerri's voice cracked.

"After Elaine is finished with the Rites. Come with me." With more strength than Kerri thought she had, Xayoe pulled Kerri out of the room. The duo didn't travel far, just across the room to another room. This one obviously didn't see use as the few pieces of furniture were all covered in thick white cloths. As they entered, the light above them flared to flickering life.

Kerri walked over to the cloth-covered couch and collapsed down on it heavily. The lead ball was weighing down on her, and all she wanted to do was to curl up around it and disappear.

For a few moments tonight, she thought she'd found a way back to Maron.

Ever since she'd landed on the shores of Marblebrooke, she'd told herself that it was actually better she'd been exiled. She'd been about to break up with Maron. Hell, she'd made a literal deal with the devil for the chance to be with him. Even she, the romantic, could see that that wasn't a healthy or rational decision. No, it was better to be without Maron, and instead focus her energies on getting this Mark off her body, and giving her country any help she could muster.

Then, she'd danced with the Prince. She'd literally fallen back into the same routine with him, and it had felt so right. After all those months, the camaraderie, the playfulness, the feeling of being safe was there.

They'd had their long overdue, real talk about their issues. He'd laid out all his cards on the table, cards he'd been keeping close to the chest for far too long. Suddenly, the last six or so months of their relationship took on a whole new meaning. It was like the right lens had finally been put over her eyes and everything made sense.

They were so close, so close to finally getting back to how they were. So close, and yet once again another obstacle had come up in their path. This time, the obstacle was a lot more permanent than a simple exile.

She was so numb, that she didn't even notice the few tears that trickled down her face. Slowly, she realized that Xayoe was talking to her.

"—anytime Rowan is involved you always have to have a Plan B. I don't see how she expected Orcs and Goblins to be able to kidnap a Prince, and you can bet that she's going to hear from me. I mean, seriously, sending bloodthirsty Orcs and incompetent Goblins." Xayoe sighed heavily, her arms crossed. "Thank goodness Prince Mervyn doesn't seem to be pressing the issue. It's been a while since I've had to break out _Feign Death_ , but it seems to have done the job. I do feel bad for having dragged Elaine into this, but I figured having her perform Last Rites would really sell it."

It took a moment for the words to register. Kerri blinked, then looked dumbfounded up at Xayoe.

"Did you say, _'Feign Death'_?"

Xayoe grinned, and nodded. "I figured Maron would be able to disappear more so if people thought him dead and not just kidnapped."

"So…Maron's not dead?"

"Technically no. He'll just seem like it for another half hour or so. I'll probably do another casting or two of it on him. We need to find a way for his body to disappear." Xayoe tapped her chin as she plopped down on the couch next to Kerri.

The lead ball was currently do loops in her abdomen. She was coming up to the upswing of her emotional rollercoaster, but mentally she was starting to lose steam.

"Why did you tell me he was dead?" She yelled, getting to her feet and facing down Xayoe. She felt her knees begin to shake as relief, exhilaration, joy, betrayal, confusion, and a few other emotions began to sweep over her.

"I needed you to sell it." Xayoe said matter-of-factly. "Though, to be honest, your reaction wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I had been hoping that you'd climb down and then sob over Maron's lifeless body. Koe redirecting you like that was unplanned."

"You used me." Kerri didn't even try to hide the hurt in her voice.

"Yes I did, and I'd do it all over again." Xayoe stood up. "I had a story I needed to tell. A production in which I casted you in a certain role. We are Bards Kerri. We don't wait for the stories to find us, we find them, and when the need arises, we create them. If we need to manipulate and obscure certain facts to fit our truth, then we do it." The Master Bard crossed the room to the door. "I'll tell people you've collapsed from grief and that you're not to be disturbed. No doubt Elaine will disobey that and come check on you. I suggest you fix your face, you're supposed to be in mourning." Xayoe left.

As soon as the door closed, it was as if the air had left with her. Kerri's lungs restricted as it became harder to breath. She clutched at her chest, her head began to spin.

How many times would she be someone's puppet? Was there a sign on her back that read "Dummy here, use me"?

She had to get out of that room.

Wrenching open the door, she ran down the hall. The throng of people was still thick, but now some new Guards were mingled in with them. The doors were open. She pushed past the people in her way. She might have yelled at them, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she needed to get outside. She was vaguely aware of someone stepping on the hem of her dress and the sound of tearing.

After what seemed like an eternity, she broke free. The lead ball seemed to have grown, filling her entire body. Her body was heavy as she stumbled towards the stairs. She didn't remember blacking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry this is late! I got it to my beta reader late and then she got sick! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed my little Maron fakeout, Lol. Let me know what you think! This is the last of Kerri, so her stats are below! Lastly we have Carric, and with him we'll rejoin the group in Esterwill!
> 
> Name: Kerri Evenwood  
> Class/Level: Bard 3 - College of Valor  
> Race: Half-Elf  
> Age: 19  
> STR: 11  
> DEX: 16  
> CON: 11  
> INT: 13  
> WIS: 16  
> CHA: 18  
> HP: 17  
> AC: 14 (with armor and a shield)
> 
> Kerri is the youngest member of the group. As such she tends to let her emotions steer her actions more so than the others. As you've read, she was a busy little bee back home. With both of her parents hard at work in the Guild, she mostly left up to her devices. Unfortunately she's getting a crash course in actions and consequences. We'll have to see what happens in the future for her.


	30. The Urge to Protect

**Missteps**

**Chapter 30 – The Urge to Protect**

Carric was used to spending the night in a variety of places. The floor, hammock, bedroll, hard ground, soft ground, wet ground, in a tree, he'd learned over the years how to sleep in pretty much any position.

That night though, he didn't get any sleep.

During the Welcome party he'd hit it off pretty good with one of the Lirathan guards, well enough for them to sneak away and seclude themselves in one of the dozen of empty rooms the Palace held. Things were just getting good when the claxons had started.

By the time the two of them had reached the foyer there was already a stream of people blocking the way out. At the first mention of 'Orcs' from the panicked crowd, Carric tore a longsword out of suit of armor's hands. It was frustrating as he was forced to wait for the throng of people to slow long enough for him to slip out. By the time he'd made it out, Kerri and Koe were on the wall.

Xayoe flagged him down, and Carric carried Maron into the Palace. That part was easy.

The hard part was standing in the courtyard with Koe, and having to watch Kerri as she stumbled out the doors. Her eyes were glassy, and a hand was clenched around her skirt as the other one groped around in front of her. He wasn't fast enough to catch her as her unconscious form tumbled heavily down the stairs.

He quickly swept her up, and carried her out the Main Gates. Shomma went from curled around his neck to wrapped around Kerri's. It didn't take long for Elaine to join him as he trekked away from the Palace.

"Where are you taking her? There are rooms in the Palace we can take her." Elaine argued as she tried to get a look at Kerri.

"I'm taking her away from Maron."

Elaine didn't have anything else to say after that.

When they finally got back to the Entertainment Guild's camp, they discovered that in light of recent events, one of the other Guild Heads had taken the liberty of buying out a local Inn.

As Carric left to commandeer a room, Elaine grabbed the gear they'd left behind.

The innkeeper, an old gnome woman, directed Carric upstairs with a shaky hand. Their other hand was clenched around a small handaxe. Next to her stood a man, someone Carric recognized from the trek up here. Everytime someone walked into the inn, the woman would look at the man and wait for a tiny nod.

Not caring how much noise he made, Carric took the stairs two at time. He'd moved Kerri from his arms, to being slung over his shoulder instead. The weight of her was similar to a deer, and he found it easier to move with her like that.

Moving quickly down the small hallway, he scanned the layout of each room he passed, not bothering with any of the single beds. Halfway down he found an empty room with two twin beds. He put Kerri down, and then took up position by the open door, waiting for Elaine.

Behind him, others of the Entertainment Guild were making their way down the hall as well. Gossip of that night's events, and shouts of relief at being reunited with friends were a welcome distraction from the sounds emanating from outside. The claxons still clanged with regularity, and shouting from Guards as they patrolled or townsfolk as they jumped from nerves filled the night air. The smell of smoke had started to hang in the air, prompting many inside the Inn to drown the smell out with incense or other perfumes. To Carric, he would have preferred the smoke.

Thankfully Carric didn't have to guard the door for too long as Elaine bustled up the stairs, laden down with their packs and her weapons, and Carric's quiver. She dumped all of it down unceremoniously just inside the door, and went to examine Kerri. Carric moved one of the beds so that it blocked the door.

Kerri's tumble hadn't done any severe damage, mostly just bumps and bruises. Elaine healed the injuries as she found them as she and Carric undressed Kerri. While beautiful, the dress was proving a hindrance at the moment. While the cared for their still unconscious friend, Elaine and Carric exchanged notes on the night.

It was Carric who discovered the Mark on Kerri's back. He'd been wiping sweat off with a rag when he uncovered it under the makeup.

"Did you know about this?" Carric scrubbed harder at the Mark, slowly uncovering more and more of it.

Elaine nodded. "She thought she was hiding it from me, but I've caught glimpses of it." Elaine moved closer and inspected it. "I have no idea what it is."

"Looks like a bad tattoo." Carric thought back to what he'd seen, that glow emanating from Kerri's back. He could tell that Elaine was exhausted; he'd tell her about it later.

"I'll keep watch outside the door, make sure the two of you aren't disturbed." Carric said later on after they'd gotten Kerri situated. "You get some sleep, I want to be on the road by noon tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Don't you think we should wait a day or two? Maron just died, and the city was attacked by Orcs."

"The Orcs attacked the party, not the city, and yes there is a difference." Carric held up a hand to stop Elaine. "If we delay any longer we're going to be late meeting the others. Besides, it's not like they're going to hold Maron's funeral here in Silverbank." With that, he scooped up Shomma, grabbed his pack and longsword, and left the room. Outside, he sat with his back to the door, his sword across his lap. Shomma curled up on the pack and quickly went to sleep.

Carric stifled a yawn and rubbed at his face. Why the hell was he tired? All he'd done was get interrupted trying to get lucky, and then miss all the fighting. From what Koe had said, Elaine and Kerri had been the big heroes of the night. Too bad the night hadn't ended on a high note.

His mind flashed back to Kerri's stumbling form. He wasn't a stranger to grief. Growing up in an orphanage on the poorer side of town, and living through a real Orc attack, he'd seen enough of it. He knew it hit people differently. Some people just immediately shut down, while others compartmentalized. Some wanted or needed to be surrounded by their remaining loved ones, while others just wanted to be alone. Some didn't want to know anything about how it'd happened, while others wanted to know every detail.

With him, it'd come in stages. By the time he'd learned of his brother's death, it'd already been a couple of months. The knowledge that he'd lived his own life for two months, and hadn't known instinctively that his brother was dead, that almost sent him into a depression. For two months his brother had just been a stiff some drunkard had found in an alleyway. If it hadn't been for the letter addressed to Carric found on his person, he might never have been identified.

The letter wasn't even a large clue. It was just one of those "Hey I'm not dead" letters. He'd sent dozens of them to Carric over the past year he'd been traveling. The two of them had been the only family they'd had left, and back then it'd felt like Heian clung to that connection more so than Carric. Carric had only written back a few times, but it never seemed like Heian got any of them.

The letter carried the same message as always. No luck on finding their parents, but he'd found a new lead. None of Heian's leads seemed to go anywhere.

Carric shook his head, getting his mind out of the past and into the present. To give himself something to do, he took his whetstone out of his bag (much to Shomma's displeasure) and went to work on his sword.

Throughout the night people shuffled past Carric. He recognized all of them as belonging to the Entertainment Guild. Some still wore their costumes from that night's performance. Everyone had the same kind of harried expression on their faces. Every room in that small Inn got packed to capacity that night, except the one behind Carric.

The only person to approach him was Xayoe.

"Have you seen Kerri, I need to speak with her." Judging by Xayoe's tone and the pointed way she was staring at the doorway, she knew exactly where Kerri was. The smell of smoke clung to her.

"Last I saw, she was running out of the Palace." Carric took a long swipe along the edge of his blade with the whetstone. He didn't look up and didn't make eye contact.

"Let me through, it's been a very tiring night and I need sleep." Xayoe reached up and rubbed her temples.

"I'm sure a Guild Master such as yourself can find a bed somewhere else easily enough."

"What's wrong with the room you're guarding?"

"Full."

"Can I assume that Elaine is also in there?"

Carric didn't answer.

Xayoe gave out an exasperated sigh. "What did the two of them do to inspire such loyalty from you?"

"They didn't do anything." Carric finally looked up. He saw that her elaborate dress was torn in multiple places, and she had a streak of black along one of her cheeks. "It's pretty late, and judging by those bags under your eyes, you need your beauty rest." For a minute it looked like Xayoe was considering making Carric move, but instead she huffed and headed off down the hallway. She disappeared into a room, the door slamming shut behind her.

It was true, Elaine and Kerri hadn't done anything. Nothing but be themselves.

In the years following Heian's death and the Orc attack, Carric did everything in his power not to get close to people. He'd lost a lot of friends, and he wasn't proud to admit it, but he'd come close to joining them. Grief is powerful, especially when it hits you from all sides and you're surrounded by it day in and day out.

The only way he could climb out of that hole, was distance. He took to the woods. For weeks he didn't encounter anything but animals. Being out in nature, he was able to think, to scream, yell, and put his emotions into something constructive. He built a one-room cabin out in the woods. For an entire year he holed up there.

When he finally emerged and headed back into Osthom, he entered the next stage of his grief; he couldn't bring himself to form any meaningful attachments. Somehow he ended up in a relationship with an old friend of his, a woman. There wasn't enough there though to stop him from crawling into bed with the next person he found attractive, this time a male.

The only good thing to come out of the whole cheating fiasco, was him finding that he preferred the company of men over women. That might have the first time he'd had a trouble with keeping to a monogamous relationship, but it was not the last. Finally it reached a point where he swore off monogamy altogether and found comfort in one-night stands. Physical closeness was much easier to achieve when you didn't allow emotions or hang-ups to interfere.

And that was how he lived his life. During the spring and summer months he'd ferry groups of people through the woods, and during the winter he'd volunteer with Osthom's town guard. In between all of it, he slept with anyone and everyone who'd have him.

Then, a bit over two years ago now, Jazale entered his life.

Winter had just touched down in Osthom. Carric entered the guardhouse, on his way to meet the Commander and sign up like normal. As he was walking, he overheard a conversation some of the guards were having. They'd picked up some chick that afternoon for trying to pickpocket. Apparently she'd been very bad at it, and when the guards confronted her she'd bit one of them. The part that really made Carric stop and listen, was when the guards questioned the girl on why she was in Osthom, she said she was looking for Heian and Carric.

Just the mention of his name caused Carric to immediately change direction and head down towards the jail cells. He'd worked with enough of the guards at that point that no one stopped him as he headed down. There was only one cell occupied.

Inside was a young skinny, tan-skinned, black haired girl. She had slightly-pointed ears just barely peeking out from under her hair. As Carric drew closer to the cell, she looked up, and as her short hair moved out of the way, he could see the bruise that formed on her eye. Carric figured it was probably in retaliation for the bite.

"I'm afraid I don't entertain requests, if that's what you're looking for." She tried to smile sweetly, but ended up grimacing as she disturbed the bruise.

"I heard that you were looking for Heian and Carric, why?"

"I'm their sister."

Carric scoffed. "Those two don't have a sister. It's just the two of them."

"Let me clarify, half-sister. We share the same dad."

"I don't believe you." Carric's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the girl in front of him, trying to match any part of her to the man he barely remembered. He'd only been three when their parents had dumped them at the orphanage.

"Just go and find Heian and ask him. He found me when I was kid, told me that when I was older I should come to Osthom and look him and Carric up. He said that just because our father didn't know what being part of a family was like, it was no excuse that I shouldn't."

The fire in her eyes as she said those words, and the words themselves are what convinced Carric. He'd heard Heian say those words over and over again, while they grew up, and in his letters.

"Heian found dad?" The words were almost a whisper as they came out of Carric's mouth.

The girl looked up at Carric quizzically for a moment, and then it's like a lightbulb went off in her head.

"Yeah. We were living in a small village just outside Winter Horn at the time. I'd just turned nine, and Heian showed up one day, asking if an Erdan Moonwhisper lived there. The two of them had a pretty intense argument."

"He was taking care of you?"

"Not really. We lived with my aunt and her family, from my mother's side. My mother died shortly after I was born. My aunt was the only reason my father stuck around. He fancied her and she indulged him so he wouldn't abandon me. Heian stuck around for a few days, spent most of the time with me. After he left, dad packed up in the middle of the night and disappeared. Haven't seen or heard from him since."

"What brought you here? Just to see Heian?"

"I didn't have anywhere else. Orcs raided our village and my family was killed. You two are the only family I've got left."

"Actually, I'm all you've got. Heian died ten years ago, probably shortly after he left you." As she processed the news, Carric walked over and took the cell door keys off the hook on the wall. He unlocked it and walked in.

"Carric, nice to finally meet you." He offered a hand down to her. She accepted it.

"Jazale."

After that, Jazale settled down in Osthom. Carric trained her up and got her a job working in the town guard. Working with her, having someone who knew Heian like he did, even if only for a short time, helped him take that last step. For the first time in years, he connected with someone emotionally, not physically. Granted she was the only one, at least until he'd met Kerri and Elaine.

From the moment he met the two of them, he felt the same kind of connection with them like he did with Jazale. All three of them were strong, independent women who could handle themselves in any situation. They'd all been shaped by their circumstances into taking on more in life than was fair, at least in his eyes. He didn't pity them, he just wished the world wasn't like that.

With all three of them, Carric felt an urge to protect them. To shield them from the dangers of the world, and to just let them enjoy life. He'd spent ten years numbing out the rest of the world, but spending time with all of them allowed him to remember how joyous and fun life could be, without sex. As much as Carric wanted to protect them, he also wanted to experience life with them.

Without even meaning to, Carric had adopted Elaine and Kerri as his younger sisters, not that he'd tell them that.

It was that urge to protect them that had him guarding their door that night.

Just before dawn, when the air in the Inn was still, and the only thing stirring was Carric, a hooded figure stealthily entered the Inn through a backdoor and made their way upstairs.

Exhaustion had caught up with Carric, and he was on the verge of sleep, when Shomma suddenly hissed and stirred in his lap. Cracking open an eye, he saw the hooded figure standing above him.

"What do you want?" Carric was too tired to be shocked or surprised. There was a smell that clung to him, a smell that Carric knew well. Elaine carried a bottle of the oil around, and only used it for Church rituals, and she'd only performed one ritual that night.

The figure pulled down their hood.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Carric's eyebrows screwed up in confusion as Maron crouched down in front of him.

"To everyone else, yeah. Only a select group know I'm not."

"Is Kerri in that group?"

Maron nodded. "Xayoe told her earlier tonight."

"If you're supposed to be dead, what are you doing here?" Carric reached over and grabbed his waterskin, quickly slapping some of the liquid onto his tired face.

"I needed to talk to Kerri, explain the situation to her. She wasn't in the Palace, so I figured she had to be here with rest of the Guild."

"Situation being that you're leaving?"

Maron didn't answer.

"It doesn't take a genius to guess that you're needing to skip town." Carric yawned. "I'm not letting you talk to her, just to tell her that you're leaving again. She's been through enough tonight, and she's probably not even close to finishing on the processing of all of it. I'm not going to let you add to her baggage."

"If I just leave without saying anything to her, isn't that worse?"

Carric considered Maron's words for a moment.

"Just come with us. We're leaving town tomorrow, well today. Come with us. Then you'll have all the time in the world to talk to her."

Maron looked to be on the verge of accepting the offer, but he just sighed and hung his head. "I can't, I've got a mission in the Nydag Empire. A mission that I've put off for far too long."

Carric leaned forward, to make sure that Maron didn't miss a word. "Well, until you're mission is done, stay away from Kerri. I won't let you hold her back like some dog on a leash. Let her experience what life is like without you. Then, if you come back later, she can decide whether or not she wants you."

"As long as I'm alive, I'll always come back."

"Those are just empty words until you back them up." Carric leaned back. "You'd better get going, now's about the time people start waking up."

Maron stood up. His eyes lingered on the door.

"Oh, one more thing." Carric yawned again. "What's the cover story for your missing body? Kind of hard to fake a death without a body."

"Xayoe said she'd take care of it." Maron reached up and pulled his hood back up. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. I've got no right dragging Kerri along until I can make a promise I can actually keep. I'm trusting you to keep her safe."

"That was already the plan. Good travels."

Just as stealthily as he'd arrived, Maron left.

Contrary to what he'd told Maron, it was still another two hours before anyone on the floor began to rouse. Carric was asleep when the door behind him began to move.

"Carric, move your butt!" Elaine called through the door as she tried to shove the door open.

"Elaine, he's probably asleep." Kerri's voice filtered through. To Carric's ears, she sounded tired, but he was happy she was awake.

"Then he needs to wake up and come sleep in a bed."

Carric cracked a grin. He sat for another minute, just listening to Elaine's grunts as she slowly but surely moved him out of the way. Finally the door was open enough for her to poke her head through and glare down at the Half-Elf.

"Will you move already?"

"How can I when you keep shoving me?" Carric grinned as he watched Shomma scramble past Elaine and into the room. He picked himself up, grabbed his gear, and went into the room.

Kerri was sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair. Shomma was scrambling up her leg onto the bed next to her. "Good morning, sleep well?"

"Nope, people kept parading past me all night." He dropped his gear on the floor with a thud, walked over, and collapsed face first onto the second bed. He turned his head to address the two of them. "We're leaving town at noon. You two are in charge of getting everything ready. When I wake up, we're leaving."

"We can't just leave, what about the fallout from last night? What about Maron?" Elaine said. Carric's eyes were already closed, but he could imagine the pitying look she must have sent Kerri.

"Maron's alive. He left town last night." Elaine's shocked gasp was almost covered up by Kerri's.

"How do you know that?" The bed frame creaked as Kerri sat beside Carric.

"He stopped by last night to say good-bye. You were dead to the world and I wouldn't let him wake you up. He would have stayed longer, but he said he has some job to do in Nydag." Carric yawned loudly and curled up.

"Maron can't be dead, because I gave him Last Rites." Elaine's tone suggested she was very angry.

"Kerri, deal with her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Holy crap guys, thirty chapters! That's some sort of milestone. We've got one more chapter with Carric, and then its back to the group! I'm so excited! I've been hard at work getting ready for their first adventure now that everyone is level 3! Let me know what you think of Carric, and if you have any suggestions for some threats/situations I might just use them!
> 
> Till next time!


	31. A Good Night's Sleep

**Missteps**

**Chapter 31 – A Good Night's Sleep**

Carric came to consciousness not as peacefully as he would have liked.

"Wake up!" A rough voice roared in his ear. The half-elf gave a shocked jolt and sat upright, narrowly colliding with the lumbering figure.

"What the hell is going on?" Carric blinked quickly, the scene in front of him coming into focus. Besides the guard, he assumed it was a guard seeing as how the man was wearing the uniform he'd seen other guards around town wearing, there were two more dressed like him, and Elaine. Elaine did not seem happy as she angrily watched the uniformed men rifle through her and Kerri's packs. In her hands was a balled up cloak that was squirming. She was keeping a tight hand around it.

The guard in front of Carric didn't answer as he reached down for Carric's pack and quiver. Carric shot his leg out in front of his pack.

"Again, what the hell are you doing?" He now sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze focused on the brown-haired guard. Carric noticed that all the guards were armed with longswords sheathed at their waists.

"Looking for evidence that you and your companions colluded with the Orcs that attacked last night."

Carric couldn't contain his howl of laughter.

"Why do you think we're the ones who colluded?" Elaine's tone was sharp. "We fought against them when they attacked the party."

"You three disappeared right after the attack, unseen for the rest of the night. You were summoned for questioning this morning and didn't show. It was then assumed that you were in hiding due to your guilt."

"Then we didn't do a very good job at it." Carric rubbed his temples for a moment as he stood up. "We didn't disappear, we headed towards the Entertainment Guild's campsite, where we'd left our shit. Elaine here works for the Pelorian Church. I was afraid that the Orcs would destroy some of her Holy items on their way out of town. Afterwards, we holed up this room all night and never received your blasted summons."

"He's telling the truth. I have papers from the Church."

"Truth or not, both of you will need to come down to Headquarters House for questioning. Where's the other female?"

"Shopping. She left a couple of hours ago." A black head poked out of the cloth ball, revealing a very unhappy weasel.

Shomma's thin body wriggled out, and before Elaine could lay a hand on her, she'd launched herself at the closest guard. There was a metallic screech as Shomma's claws scratched the guard's helm. His panicked scream mixed with one of pain as Shomma bit down on an exposed piece of neck.

The guard reached up to try to pry the creature of himself, and managed to grab her around the middle in his gloved hand.

"Let her go!" Carric took a step forward, but the guard in front of him blocked his way. "She's only reacting to the situation."

Elaine was just as distressed, but she was also blocked by a guard.

"This fucking rat drew blood." The wounded guard snarled as examined the blood on his glove.

"She's a weasel, and she's only a baby." Carric was worried now. The guard's grip on Shomma was very, very tight. He could see grimaces of pain on Shomma's features. "You're hurting her."

"Good." The guard squeezed a little tighter.

"That's enough. There's no need to be cruel." The leader of the trio finally said as he stepped towards his underling. Snatching the cloak out of Elaine's hands, the leader once again trapped Shomma inside of it, tying the top. He lightly tossed the makeshift bag to Carric. "Leave her in there for the time being. Now, gather up your belongings and come with us for questioning."

Grimly, Carric and Elaine did as they were told. Crouched over his pack, Carric opened a hole in the bag and peeked in on Shomma.

 _Are you alright? Are you hurt?_ Carric asked through the _Beast Bond_.

 _Scared. Bad men._ Shomma's voice shook through the bond, and he could feel her lingering fear. Carric reached in and petted her head.

 _You were brave. I'm proud._ The fear lessened, but didn't disappear.

 _Hold me?_ The image of Shomma cuddled up in Carric's arms came through, and Carric smiled.

 _Not right now. Bad men still here. Stay in the bag for safety. Stay with Elaine._ Carric closed the bag and placed it inside his pack. He secured the top of the pack, then reached for his quiver. In one movement he pulled out a quarterstaff, stood up, and ran at the guard who'd hurt his small charge.

The two-handed swing hit the guard's metal coated body and slid off. Before he could get a second swing in, Carric was tackled to the ground and manacled.

"Seriously? What did you think was going to happen?" The leader guard growled in Carric's ear as he hauled the half-elf to his feet. Carric didn't answer. Before anything else could be said, he was escorted out of the room.

"Two days. Two days in jail. You got off easy, I sincerely hope you realize that." Elaine stood on the other side of the jail cell bars as she berated the prisoner.

From where Carric was sitting, it didn't seem very easy. The cells were cold and wet. He had a sneaky suspicion that the city's sewer system ran close by. The air smelled of wet dog, urine and other bodily fluids, and some other awful smells that he couldn't identify. At the end of the corridor, which housed about twenty cells, a few of the Orcs from the night before that'd been caught were roaring. He wasn't sure whether it was in agitation, or sleep.

"I was also fined fifty gold." He was more upset about the money than the confinement. "How'd the questioning go?"

"Fine. It was all pretty routine. Our summons had been sent to Xayoe, but the person they sent to deliver it had no idea who Xayoe was so they'd just handed it off to the first person they saw who said they were with the Guild. Needless to say the message never got delivered." Elaine leaned back on the bars. "When I left, Kerri was still being questioned."

Kerri had been just outside the building when a bound Carric had been drug through the door. She'd wasted no time in demanding to know the situation. As soon as the Guards found out who she was, she was quickly escorted with Elaine to Headquarters House.

Carric sighed. "Sorry for all the trouble."

"You're forgiven. I was close to decking that guard myself, I just have more self-control."

"Where's Shomma now?"

"I got one of the guards to call Koe, and Koe took Shomma to their place for a check-up. Koe also took your gear with them. After Kerri gets out of questioning we're going to head up to their place."

"Good call. Are you two planning on staying in town to wait for me?"

"Probably. Kerri and I will figure out something to keep us entertained while you rot down here."

"Maybe they'll let me out early for good behavior?"

Elaine laughed. "If you'd been on good behavior before you wouldn't be down here."

"You're right." They shared another laugh.

"I'd better head back up and see if Kerri is done yet. Want us to visit you again tomorrow?"

"Nah, you two just focus on staying out of trouble. This isn't my first time in a jail cell."

"Alright then. See you in two days." Elaine left.

Carric sat in the dim light, in silence. When he was a teenager he often spent a night in jail as punishment for some juvenile prank. Since he'd started working for the town guards during the winter though, he hadn't found cause to be on the wrong side of the law. Usually it'd be around this time of year that he'd be heading into town to hole up for the winter.

A guard came down to question him about the night before, but it was routine and none of the questions stood out. The guard mentioned something about Maron's body disappearing, but it wasn't in an accusatory tone. He actually seemed kind of bored asking the questions. The only other visitor Carric had that night was a dinner trolley that passed him a bowl of gray gruel that somehow didn't smell like anything.

Sleep didn't come easily that night. The small cot that was provided was a rough wooden plank laid on the floor without any form of padding. A threadbare blanket covered in stains and smelling strongly of urine had been bunched up in the corner. Carric had taken one whiff of the cloth and had pitched it as far from his cell as he could.

It wasn't just the cold that kept him awake that night, the Orcs down the hall had woken up. They roared and threw themselves against the cell bars all night. Being from a town that regularly had contact with Orcs, Carric knew their language. He was forced to listen to the Orcs describe in very precise detail what they'd do to the guards. To paraphrase, the Orcs intended to treat their captors like deer.

At one point Carric grew fed up, and roared back.

"Shut up! Your talk is trash." The guttural sounds of the language hurt his throat.

"You speak us? Not very good!" The Orcs laughed. "Why you here?"

"Beat a guard." It's been a while since Carric had actually spoken Orc, but it wasn't a very complicated language.

"You like us! Good, good."

The sentiment that Carric was anything like them disgusted him to no end. He turned on his 'cot' and ignored them, eventually drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

Once again, he was awakened by a very loud sound. This time, he woke up coughing as well. He opened his eyes and crawled over to the cell bars. A thick cloud of dust and smoke was wafting through the air, obscuring the lit torches.

The Orcs at the end of the hall were cheering.

"What happen?" Carric called out in Orc.

A large shadow emerged out of the dust and headed towards Carric. An Orc with a long scar down the side of its face kneeled down in front of him.

"We break out." The Orc grinned, showing off its pointed teeth, and bathing Carric in a very pungent odor. "Hing come here." The Orc yelled down the hall. A second later a wiry Goblin scurried out of the smoke. "Open door." The Goblin didn't hesitate as it pulled a set of picks out of its pocket and began work on the cell's lock.

Carric had no words for what was happening.

In less than a minute the lock clicked and the Goblin pulled the door open with a loud groan from the hinges.

"We leave now." The Orc said, as he reached in and guided Carric out of the cell. He didn't dare resist. Carric could hear the clank of the guard's armor from the top of the stairs. They reached the bottom just as Carric was ushered into the Orcs cell.

A hole had been blown in the cell's wall. Just as Carric had thought, the sewer system was just on the other side. Ignoring the yell of the guard's behind them, the newly freed Orcs, their Goblins companions, and Carric, headed off down the tunnel.

Judging by how confidently the Orcs took the various turns in the sewer, Carric came to two conclusions. 1) The Orcs regularly used the sewer to get around, or 2) they very confidently took random turns. Both conclusions had merit, and either way they quickly lost their pursuers.

After about an hour of travel, they reached a large opening that was large enough for the Orcs to saunter out of without difficulty. The sky was streaked with light as the sun just peeked over the horizon. Birds sang in the air, and the water gurgled as it streaked around their feet and continued out into a small stream. They were well outside the city now. Looking around, Carric couldn't even see the city.

"Where are we?" Carric asked Scar, a name he'd heard one of the other Orcs call the one who'd 'rescued' him.

"Safe." Scar assured him as he clapped Carric on the shoulder. Carric felt himself slid into the muddy streambed even more. "No South, no city."

"Good." Carric nodded. Scar returned the nod.

"Naktangu!" Scar shouted out as he walked out of the water. The small group followed, and none of them, except Hing, spared a glance at Carric. Hing gave Carric a small wave. For being so massive in size, it didn't take long for the three Orcs to disappear into the forest.

_Well, shit._

Carric found a large boulder next to the stream, and sat down. He had no idea what to do now.

If he went back to the city, he was pretty sure he'd be thrown back in jail. Probably for a lot longer than two days, considering that now it really did look like he was colluding with the Orcs.

He supposed he could go to Koe's, but that would probably be the first place the guards would look for him. After all, Koe had Shomma, maybe. Shomma might be back with the girls by now.

He groaned and ran his hands through his hair. One thing he absolutely could not do, was leave without Kerri and Elaine, and his quiver. That was a magical quiver dammit.

Carric sighed and looked back at the sewer opening. There was no getting around it. He was going back in. Before heading in, he took some of the muck from around the entrance and smeared it all over his clothes, arms, and face. He found a sharp rock and tore some holes in his clothes, then used it to hit himself in the face.

He took one last deep breath of fresh air, and then walked back into the rank sewer system. Traveling alone now, he encountered smells that had actually been masked by the Orcs musk before. He wasn't fond of sewers in general. They were disgusting, rat infested, and breeding chambers for disease. When this was over, he was getting Elaine to draw him a Holy Water bath.

Carric wandered in the sewers for about three hours, he thought. It was hard to tell time in the depths. He'd tried to remember the route his Orcish company had taken, but after only three turns he hit a dead end. Those were the first of many dead-ends he came across. Some of them were just halls that ended in a wall, while a few of them were cave-ins that blocked the way.

In one of the cave-ins, he noticed that the stonework on the walls and ceiling was different than the utilitarian style of the tunnels he'd seen. This stone was polished and ornamental. Designs such as stars and other shapes had been carved into it. He backtracked away from the cave-in, and found that the ornamental work started from an old archway.

It was cool, but not important right now. Carric continued on. He traveled for another half hour or so before he heard something.

He heard horses. And some old woman hawking a miracle perfume. He chased after the noise, and soon found a wooden ladder leading up to a grate. He scrambled up the ladder and pressed his face to the metal grate. Above him, all he saw was the underside of a wooden table covered by an orange cloth.

As quietly as he could, Carric shoved the grate up and over to the side.

The cloth lifted up and the lined face of an old woman stuck itself underneath. "What are you doing?" She rasped out.

"Leaving the sewer." Carric answered. He'd already pulled himself out halfway, and now found himself frozen under her gaze.

She narrowed her eyes. "Are you a criminal?"

"Technically yes."

She stared at him for another minute. "Well, hurry up and get out. You'll let the sewer ooze out if you keep the grate open for too long." The cloth fell back down.

"Sewer ooze?" Carric whispered to himself as he hauled himself out. His head bumped the table, which was answered by a heavy thud from above. He was careful not to do it again as he replaced the grate. He lifted the cloth, on the opposite side from where he'd seen the face, intending to slip out the back.

It was a wall.

With a heavy sigh, he crawled out from under the table. The old woman stood watching him with her beady eyes the whole time.

"If you're going to be part of the Thieves' Guild, you need to be sneakier. And faster." The woman took a good look at his attire. "And more careful about where you step. Now, go." She shooed him away.

Carric took off down the street. High buildings lined both sides of the street, but they were old. Their sides were chipped and visibly cracked. Long shadows were cast over the meager shoppers on the street. Only a few booths were set up, mostly selling old produce. One was selling weapons. There was probably a reason why the woman assumed he was with the Thieves' Guild, and why she wasn't surprised.

He rounded a corner and headed towards the main thoroughfare. He didn't have a lot of knowledge of the city, and most of his knowledge was about the main streets. Ask him about the forest and wildlife outside of the city, that he knew. Inside, he needed a map.

He walked past a man slumped down and seemingly passed out against a wall. There was an empty ale bottle held loosely in one hand. Carric stopped and quickly removed the man's cloak.

"Sorry buddy, but you're not exactly in a position to complain." Carric whispered as he tied the scratchy brown cloak around his shoulders and pulled the hood up. Combined with the mess he'd already made of himself, he looked pretty much like the beggar before him.

The only place he could think of to look for the girls, was the inn they'd stayed at.

Just as he walked in, he saw Kerri heading upstairs. Two guards were chatting up the barkeeper at the bar. He pulled his hood down even lower on his face, and went upstairs. When he made it to the top of the stairs, all the doors were closed.

This was the moment that Carric had to decide how creepy he was going to be. He could just listen at every door and try to hear either Kerri or Elaine through it. But, if he was caught, he'd be that hobo that likes to listen and eavesdrop. Alternatively, he could just knock on every door, but he was trying to be stealthy.

He decided to just stand outside each door and hiss their names out.

With the first two doors, he got an answer. A surly female Half-Orc holding a feather duster in one, and a dour male Elf with a broom in the second. No greetings or head nods were exchanged before both doors were shut quickly. Carric quickly surmised that housekeeping was not a luxurious job.

When he hissed at the third door, it was opened by a dagger wielding Half-elf.

"Good girl," Carric pushed past Kerri into the room. He tore the cloak off his shoulders and threw it in a corner. "So, what'd I miss?"

"Everyone thinking you were dinner." Elaine said with a look of shock and surprise on her face. She laid her crossbow on the bed. Shomma scurried off the bed and excitedly ran around Carric's legs until he picked her up. "I'm not joking about that either. They put in the official report that you taken by the Orcs as a snack."

"Did you think I was dead?"

Kerri shrugged. "We prepared ourselves for that."

"So, if I was dead, what was the plan?"

"Sell your stuff to Koe, then head to Esterwill."

"Fair, though I'd sell the Quiver to anyone but Koe. Koe probably wouldn't have given you market price for it, considering they gave it to me."

"So, are you going to tell us what happened?" Kerri had settled herself down on the bed, legs crossed under her. Elaine crossed over to the window and opened it. Carric sat on the other bed, Shomma curled up in his arms, and recounted his story.

"Wait a minute," Kerri interrupted Carric when he mentioned the strange arch and hallway in the sewers. "Did the walls have stars on it?"

Carric screwed up his face as he thought back. He'd been relying on his darkvision for the most part down in the sewers, and that area had been particularly dark. "Maybe. Why?"

Kerri's eyes lit up in excitement.

" _Follow the stars, young one._

_To where the Ancient Gods sleep._

_Hidden within is a Treasure_

_River's abound oh so deep._

_Everyone forgot them._

_No one remembers their names._

_But those of us who remember_

_Remember the name Uthain."_ Kerri sang with a large smile on her face.

Carric gave a small clap. "Ok, what is that?"

"Something my Dad used to sing to me when I was kid. It's a part of Bard folklore. Uthain is the name of a Bard who was alive over a thousand years ago. A lot of the written history from that time has been lost, but Uthain was prolific in his songwriting. He traveled all over the globe singing his songs. My Dad says that we're descended from him."

"And this has to do with the sewer hall how?"

Kerri smiled. "According to the rest of the song, Uthain was responsible for sealing the tunnel and hiding the 'treasures within from human sight'. Those treasures have been a Marblebrooke treasure hunt for centuries."

Carric raised an eyebrow. "The hall wasn't exactly hidden. I just took a turn and ended up down it. There weren't any secret doors or shifting walls one usually thinks of when it comes to a treasure hunt."

"That's what everyone says, but no one has ever been able to find the hall again. In every story I've ever heard, someone stumbled upon the hall by accident, left, and was never able to find it again. Even those who've marked the walls or traced their route through the sewers. No one can ever find it twice."

"Then its simple, you take all the gear with you down there when you go to hunt for it. No need to leave." Elaine shrugged as she sat next to Kerri.

"They tried, but I've never heard of anyone actually finding it before."

"It sounds like old Uthain is pulling one last joke on everyone." Carric stretched. "Sending everyone on a wild goose hunt from the grave sounds like a Bard thing to do."

"Maybe," Kerri went quiet for a few minutes. Elaine caught Carric up on how they'd been wasting time; mostly window-shopping. Suddenly Kerri burst out in a fit of laughter that had her falling sideways onto the bed.

Elaine and Carric exchanged a look. Not a look asking the other if Kerri was okay, but a look of acknowledgement that she definitely wasn't.

"Care to share?" Elaine grabbed a fistful of Kerri's sleeve and pulled the younger woman back up.

"I was just thinking about how it must have looked, down in the sewers. Three big strong Orcs, a few Goblins milling about, and then Carric." A new bout of laughter started.

"My being in the middle of an Orc pack amuses you?" Carric grinned.

Kerri nodded, her face red. "I imagined you were being carried like a lunchbox." Elaine snorted. Carric snatched a pillow and threw it at Kerri.

"Let's just see if I save you from Orcs next time."

"You didn't save us before." Elaine countered. "You were off with your latest boy toy." Oh yeah, I saw the two of you disappear into the kitchens." She added at Carric's shocked expression.

"Who was it?" Kerri leaned forward, the pillow nestled in her lap.

Carric sighed and moved the now sleeping Shomma to the bed next to him. She barely stirred. "He was one of the Lirathan guards. Didn't catch a name."

"You know, for someone who claims to be modest, you sure spend a lot of time naked." Kerri teased. "Elaine, remember how he actually turned his back on a half-naked Iados?"

"Alright now, there is a big difference in being naked for the sake of being naked, and what I do." Carric explained. "Besides, what I do is behind closed doors. When you are out in public, there is a degree of modesty that must be maintained. Nudity is not to be done out in the open."

"Technically Iados was behind closed doors, or at least closed Owlbear door." Kerri pointed out. "I think you just don't want to see anyone you're not sleeping with naked. Do you want to sleep with Iados?"

"Nope, not my type."

Elaine snorted again. "From what I've seen everyone is your type."

"No, I stay away from people in relationships. Too much drama."

"Do you think they're still together?" Kerri asked. "They seemed to be more interested in just having sex."

"I don't know, but I guess we'll find out soon enough. If we ever actually manage to leave this place." Elaine smiled.

Carric stood up. "How about we make a bet on it?"

Kerri sat up straighter. "Terms?"

"We each concoct a scenario, and whichever is closest to winning gets a prize."

"What's the prize?" Elaine had leaned forward in interest.

"10 gold." Carric suggested.

"No money. How about a favor. A favor from each of the losers that can be redeemed by the winner, no questions asked." Kerri grinned wickedly. "A favor that can't be denied."

Carric frowned. "I'm not so sure about that. A no-questions-asked favor seems like we're setting ourselves up for trouble."

"That's the whole point! Elaine, are you in or out?"

"Why not, I'm in." Elaine shrugged. "Come on Carric, what's the worst that can happen."

"Now you've just jinxed the whole thing. Fine, I'm in." Carric hung his head and the three of them shook on it. "Who's up first?"

Kerri raised her hand. "I'll start. I predict that Lia and Iados are still just 'casual friends', but they got matching tattoos."

"Pretty good." Carric rubbed his chin. "I think they're a full-blown couple now, and Iados turned her into a pirate."

"What qualifies as her being a pirate?" Elaine moved to sit on the floor as she dug around in her pack.

"I don't know, her clothes will be more of a pirate style, she'll have hoop earrings, and she'll be more tough-mannered." Carric shrugged. "The important part is them being a couple."

"Well, I think you're both wrong, mostly for the sake of wanting a completely different scenario from the two of you." Elaine set down a piece of parchment and a bottle of ink on the floor in front of her. "I'll say that the two of them flamed out, and that one of them won't show up in Esterwill." She pulled out her quill.

"Are you seriously writing this down? I think we can remember it ourselves." Kerri admonished as she watched Elaine load the quill.

"Nope, I'm writing a message to the lieutenant of the Town Guard letting them know that Carric is alive. I'm also planning to mention that they should take a closer look at their sewer system."

"Do you have to? I kind of like the idea that they think I'm dead."

Elaine didn't answer as she started writing. Carric sighed and looked over at Kerri. "Got anymore business in town?" Kerri shook her head. "Good, as soon as Elaine's done writing her stupid letter, I say we finally leave Silverbank."

It didn't take Elaine long to finish up, and as soon as she did Carric was ushering the three females under his watch out of the room and out of town. By this time the lockdown on the town had been lifted and they had no trouble exiting out the Main Gates. Elaine gave her letter to one of the guards, who promised to pass it along.

That night they made camp about half a mile off the main road. Carric built a roaring fire so as to fight off the chilly night. They shared one tent, with one of them on watch next to the fire.

He'd really been hoping for a good night's sleep. The kind of sleep where you don't dream. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. As soon as he closed his eyes, he slipped into a dream he'd had off and on for the past several months.

Just like every other time he'd had this same dream, He stood in a forest. Above him, the sky was blocked by the thick canopy of the tress that surrounded him. The trees towered hundreds of feet above him, and their trunks were thick enough to drive a cart through. He felt relaxed and at peace among them. The air was still, with no noise.

He set out, walking among the trees in a route he'd taken a thousand times. After walking for what felt like forever in the strange unnatural silence, he came upon a clearing.

In the middle of the clearing, stood a large willow tree, its leaves cascading down in a white curtain. In comparison it was much smaller than the surrounding trees, but the aura and majesty it radiated out revealed its place of reverence amongst them. At the base of the willow was a small spring spilling forth from its roots.

Ordinarily in his dreams, Carric would step up to the spring, and just before he could see his reflection in its still surface, he'd wake up.

This time, there was a woman waiting for him. She wore a soft blue gown that billowed in an unseen breeze. Her long silver hair trailed over her shoulders as she sat back against the trunk and lightly caressed the water's surface.

"I won't bite." Her voice was soft as it floated over Carric's ears. "Come closer." Without even being conscious of it, Carric did as he was told. He moved until he stood five or so feet away from her.

Silence lingered between them.

"You are only one of many who received my father's message, but you are the only one who has not seen it through. Why?" The strange woman did not look up as she spoke, she only continued to send ripples through the spring.

"I don't know." Carric's voice echoed through the clearing.

"I've watched you, you know. Just like everyone else, you approach the water, fully intent on staring into its depths and learning its secrets." The woman's tone took on a sharp note. "Wanting secrets they have not earned." Finally, she looked up at Carric, boring into him with silver eyes that reminded him of the moon. "Every time though, just before you gaze into it, you stop. It's as if you suddenly remembered something. You stand up, back away from the pool, and face the tree. Time and time again I've seen you open your mouth to say something, but you leave before you can. What are you going to say?"

Carric felt frozen under her gaze. He could feel the power that radiated off her. Her beauty was ethereal, and it paralyzed him to be in her presence. Somehow he found the strength to tear his eyes away from her, and to the tree.

Standing this close, he could the gnarled branches that twisted throughout the canopy, and beginnings of the white veil that flowered from the dark wood. For the first time, he saw signs of life as he spotted a pair of squirrels chase each other, witnessed a pair of mockingbirds build a nest above him, and followed a line of ants as they marched down the trunk towards the spring. As he gazed above him, his focus no longer being dominated by the woman, he opened his mouth.

With a jolt he was shaken awake, Kerri's hand on his shoulder as she informed him was time to take his watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And with that, we have ended the individual chapters. I hope everyone has a better sense of the characters now, I for one definitely do. I know I said last time that we'd rejoin the groups in this chapter, but I was not expecting Carric to get tossed in jail. I rolled his reaction to the treatment of Shomma, and it was not good. The dice threw me for a fun loop.
> 
> Name: Carric Galanodel (Moonwhisper)  
> Class/Level: Ranger Lvl. 3 - Beast Master  
> Race: Half-Elf  
> Age: 33  
> STR: 14  
> DEX: 16  
> CON: 15  
> INT: 10  
> WIS: 15  
> CHA: 10  
> HP: 34  
> AC: 14
> 
> So, fun fact, Carric is the oldest of the group. When I first started this story, I didn't have a very clear picture of Carric. In terms of experience with life and fighting, he's on par with Jun, and those two worked. Immediately though, he bonded with Elaine and Kerri. It took some more figuring out, mostly through fleshing out his past and how that shaped him to figure out why he was so insistent on sticking with Elaine and Kerri. He's not like any kind of character I've written before, and I hope I do him justice.


	32. Back Together

**Missteps**

**Chapter 32 – Back Together  
**

"You just had to insult his horse." Grumbled a frustrated Elf as she and her companion trudged through the thick snow. It'd been snowing for the past couple of days, turning the countryside into an endless blanket of white, glistening snow. The sun peered down from the cloudless sky.

"The damned thing spat at me, what'd you expect me to do? Stay silent?" Iados replied as they followed the wheel tracks their former ride had left. Every few miles a marker stood out from the snow drifts to direct the way towards Esterwill. Heavy snow this time of year was on par with what Iados remembered.

"Next time, maybe try not to insult the horse's owner as well." Lia had a sneaky suspicion that it was Iados's rather colorful description of the man who owned the horse that was the real reason why they'd been dumped. At least they'd saved themselves a few silver, as the man was so angry that he'd forgotten that the two of them still owed him for the ride.

"So, have you figured out a way to hide yourself yet?" Lia had to stop and physically haul her leg out of a particularly deep snowdrift.

"Not really," He sneezed violently, a move that threatened to topple him.

"That's why you should wear more layers."

"Any more layers and I won't be able to move." The Tiefling already had on three pairs of socks, two breeches, a tunic, his vest, mittens, and a cloak, in addition to his backpack and weapons. Lia was dressed similarly, though she had her leather armor on instead of a vest, and she carried her staff.

"At this rate we're not going to even see Esterwill before nightfall." Iados gave a heavy sigh, with no reaction from Lia. He knew she wasn't very happy right now. Not only was it cold and slow-going with the snow, but they were walking through pastures and the smell of bovine waste filled the air.

Silence stretched between the two of them, or at least non-conversation silence. The air was filled with the sound of crunching snow as their gear weighed them down and the two of them sank with every step.

"This is ridiculous. There has to be a better way than to just trudge along like this." Lia exclaimed suddenly as once again her leg sank clear up to her knee. Iados hurried up to help her pull it out.

"This is why there's barely any trading done this time of year." He grabbed Lia around the middle and pulled upward. Almost immediately he lost his grasp and fell backwards, alone into the snow. Lia tried to pull herself out of the snow, but only succeeded in losing her balance and joined him.

"Why don't you _wild shape_ and get yourself to town. Leave me here and send a rescue party to recover my frozen body." Iados suggested as Lia finally managed to pull her leg free. Thankfully nothing was torn or twisted in the fall.

"If I _wild shape_ into a horse than we can both get to town." She patted the snow off her leg.

"Why didn't you suggest the horse thing earlier?" Iados fought the weight of the pack on his back as he tried to stand up.

"I wanted you to suffer." She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss before she stood up and walked a few feet away. Within moments she'd transformed into a white and black-spotted horse. Horse-Lia gave a shake of her head.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." The sarcasm in his tone was cancelled out by the grin on his face. He would never get tired of watching her transform like that.

Horse-Lia's progress was still slow as she picked her way through the snow, but it was considerably faster compared to their pace before.

Iados kept up a steady stream of commentary and one-sided conversation. He relayed to her stories of growing up in Esterwill, and snowball fights with his brothers. He tried to downplay his excitement at seeing his family, but it had been five, nearly six years now, since he'd last seen them.

Near the end of Lia's hour-long _wild shape,_ Iados spotted a shape in the distance.

"Woah girl." He lightly tugged on a clump of Horse-Lia's mane. He reached into his vest pockets one at a time and finally brought out a small metal spyglass. He extended it and brought it up to his eye, only to discover that the glass in the front was missing. "Well then." He placed it back in his vest.

Underneath him, Horse-Lia began to buck as she tried to unseat the Tiefling. He took the hint and deftly jumped down, just in time as Horse-Lia transformed back.

"We really should look into purchasing a saddle for when I do that." Lia dropped her pack to the snowy ground and began working her back muscles.

"Oh yes, we'll buy a heavy saddle and carry it around for the rare one-hour moments of you being a horse." He rolled his eyes and pointed out towards the dark shape. "Can you see what's coming our way?"

Lia squinted. "It's a dark thing."

"I thought Elves had superior sight powers?"

"Only in the story's we tell our children." She stood up straight. "Isn't Esterwill in that direction?"

"I hope so, otherwise we are really lost."

"You hope so? Aren't you from this area?"

"Yeah, but I'm more comfortable with the sea route. If we were on a boat we'd be making much better time."

"If we were on a boat, we'd be fighting off Water Elementals trying to drag you away." Lia said. Iados opened his mouth to respond, but then thought better of it.

"So, do we want to do the horse thing again, or just walk until we meet up with whatever that shape is?" The more Iados stared at the shape, the more certain he was that it was headed their way.

"Let's just walk." Lia grabbed her pack and slung it onto her back.

"Probably for the best, save that last one for Bitey, just in case of trouble."

Lia gave a heavy sigh as they headed off. "I still don't like that nickname."

"What else am I gonna call a dire wolf?"

"What's wrong with 'Lia'?"

"Too predictable, besides, I've already named the cat, bear, and mastiff. You can't expect me to leave the dire wolf out."

"I noticed that you haven't named the horse form."

"Still working on that."

The duo walked for another half hour before they finally met up with the dark shape. As it turned out the dark shape was a sled driven by a large man covered in furs.

"Hail!" The man called out as he approached them, and slowly came to a stop.

Iados returned the greeting as he pulled his hood up even more over his face. His face was the only bit of skin not covered, the only bit that still showed off its violet red color.

"You're late." The man said, his voice slightly muffled by the large scarf wrapped around his face. He secured the horse's reins and climbed down. Lia and Iados exchanged confused glances.

"I'm sorry, do we know you?" Lia took in the large figure. Her eyes swept over the sled as well, and noticed a large warhammer with runic designs propped against the seat. The sled wasn't very big, and it was basically an elevated bench on some skis.

The man laughed and unwound the scarf, revealing a very familiar auburn-headed face.

"Jun!" Lia launched herself at him, and he enveloped her in a large hug.

Iados snapped his fingers. "Should have recognized you. Don't know too many mountain men."

Jun set Lia down. "What took you two so long? We expected you days ago."

"The weather set us back a few days." Iados gestured grandly at all the snow around them. "Can I presume that the 'we' is you and Ander?" Jun nodded. "How long have you two been in town?"

"Few months now." Jun reached into the sled and pulled out a small satchel. "We finished up our business rather quickly." From within the satchel he pulled out a very thin, black, leather-bound book. He took a few steps past the two of them, then opened it and read aloud. "'Release Shirrba the Wish Giver'."

As the words left his lips, the small book began to glow and a sphere of light lifted off the pages. It hovered in the air for a few seconds, before it exploded out with light. All three of them quickly shut their eyes. The light disappeared as quickly as it had come, and when Lia and Iados opened their eyes, there was a Tiefling woman with ruby red skin huddled on the ground in front of Jun.

Jun closed the book and leaned down in front of the woman.

"Are you ok?" The woman nodded and Jun helped her to her feet. The woman clutched at the cloak around her shoulders, and the small satchel in her hands.

Jun reached into his own satchel and pressed a small coin purse into her hands. "Head North towards the forest. Once there, find the gnarled tree with the initials 'NIH' carved into it. You'll be met by someone who can help you. Tell them 'The gnarled is dead,' and wait for them to respond with 'but only on the surface'. Do you understand?" The woman nodded slowly. Jun made her practice the code words a few more times before she set out.

"It's really that bad." Iados's voice was soft as Jun rejoined the small group, and they all watched the woman walk away.

"Some days it's better than others. She ran into some bad luck and it was no longer safe for her to remain." Jun sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The city's no longer on lockdown, but Tieflings can't just waltz in, or out."

"How many have you helped escape?"

"Around twenty or so. The book can only hold one creature at a time. Speaking of," Jun pulled out the book again and faced Iados. Lia took a large step to the side. Jun opened the book to the first page, pointed his finger at Iados, and read aloud. "'Entrap Shirrba the Wish Giver'." Once again the book began to glow and the sphere of light appeared. This time it raced towards Iados, quickly running laps around his body. There was a flash of light, and when it died down, Iados was gone.

"Can I assume he's in the book?" Lia pointed hesitantly at the now closed tome in Jun's hands.

"Yep. I'll let him out when we reach the monastery." He replaced the book in his satchel. "I'll tell you the story of how we got it on the way into town." He helped Lia up into the sled. "It started when Ander and his girl were out shopping."

***

Three days later, Carric, Elaine, and Kerri came riding into town. Thankfully they'd been able to borrow a horse and buggy from the Church for the journey.

Unlike the other large cities in Marblebrooke, Esterwill wasn't surrounded by a wall. In fact the city was so sprawling that it was hard to determine exactly when they entered its limits. Not far down a main road, they encountered a security checkpoint.

A small contingent of soldiers wrapped in dark red cloaks emblazoned with a white stylized sword, shield and twisty symbol across their backs, were stopping every cart.

"What's your business in Esterwill?" One of the guards asked as Carric pulled their cart up. Elaine sat next to him on the bench, her Church papers already out. Kerri was stretched out on her stomach under a blanket in the back, a book in hand.

"Meeting up with a few friends." Carric answered as two more guards came up to the cart. One of them crawled underneath, while the second climbed into the back. A third guard was up front keeping the horses at bay.

"Watch the hands." Kerri hissed as the guard pulled the blanket away from her and rolled her over. The guard apologized and finished his search quickly.

"If you all will please remove your hoods and hats, we need to check for horns." The first guard announced as he climbed onto the side of the cart. The three of them didn't have time to remove their own garments before it was all roughly yanked off and their heads were roughly patted.

"Do you need to pat my ass as well?" Kerri grumbled to the guard as she shook off the hand. Elaine merely glared at the guard next to her.

"Actually the tails attach at a point just above the buttocks." The guard in the back with Kerri explained as he backed off. "I won't say 'no' if you're offering though."

"That's enough Sinat," The guard next to Carric barked as he jumped off the vehicle. He reached into a coin purse strapped to his waist, and pulled out a copper coin. He offered the coin to Carric, who took it. "Show this to anyone else who tries to stop you. It has no monetary value."

Carric examined the coin, and noticed that it was branded not with any city mark, but with the same one emblazoned on the guard's cloaks.

"Alright, you're free to go." The guard waved them ahead. With a wink, Sinat jumped out of the back as the cart lurched forward.

Inside the city, the streets were paved with large stones. Every few feet, small metal grates had been installed down the center. They were small enough that it was easy to walk over without fear of falling. The remaining slush from the latest winter storm slowly drained through them. The building roofs were still covered in snow, as the sun was out but it was nowhere near warm enough to melt the snow. The streets were the only place with slush, and that was a lesser amount than what the three of them expected.

Soon enough they arrived at their answer. Down one of the side streets, they saw a very large contraption that took up half the street. It was metal cart, very low to the ground, pulled by a large team of oxen. In the back of it, was a large metal box that was being fed by a small shirtless Gnomish man. As the cart ran over the snow-laden road, the snow was melted. Behind the cart was a group armed with long poles with a narrow length of wood attached at the end. With these, they pushed the slush towards the grates. The cart was very loud as its metal wheels creaked under the weight of the miniature forge. The individuals all shouted at each other, their tones laced with jest and mirth.

Kerri wrinkled her nose as the smell from the fire hit her nostrils. "What do you think they're burning?"

"Feces." Carric kept driving the cart down the street.

Soon enough they arrived at a large plaza. Small two-story shops lined the edges, along with at least three other roads out. In the middle was a large fountain with a metal sculpture of four figures. The four figures stood in a circle, their backs to each other as they looked out around the plaza. Water streamed and cascaded out from below them.

"Let's get closer!" Kerri exclaimed as she hopped out of the still moving cart. Carric stopped the cart, and he and Elaine climbed out. Carric tied the horses up at a hitching post, while Elaine grabbed their gear.

"Do you want to follow Kerri?" She asked as she handed Carric his pack.

"Rock-Parchment-Shears?" Carric held up a fist. Elaine grinned and the two of them quickly battled, with Elaine's shears beating Carric's parchment. She pushed another pack into his hands.

"I'm going to duck into one of these shops, see if I can get directions to the monastery." Elaine took off.

Carric sighed and headed quickly towards the fountain. There were only a handful of people milling around, each of them heavily bundled. He suspected that on nicer days this place was a buzz of activity, but cities like this tended to hibernate during the winter months. When he reached the fountain he joined Kerri as they took in the statues one by one.

The first metal figure was a gnome, dressed in a leather apron with goggles on his head and several tools at his feet.

The second was an Elf, their long hair tied back, and a handkerchief tied around their neck. He had one foot propped up on top of several planks of wood, with a tool held loosely in his hand.

The third figure was of a human, his head half-shaved clean with the other half curling around his chin. He was dressed in a long tunic that split at his waist and allowed the two flaps to reach towards the knees. Loose-flowing pants covered his legs. He hands were balled up at his side, but other than that he looked relaxed, almost regal in his pose.

The final figure, was of a Tiefling. This statue was crouched, its tail winding around it legs. The statue was smiling as it held up a coin. Not many other details could be made out as bright paint was splashed all over the statue. Red 'x's' had been painted over its eyes, and someone had gifted the statue with crudely drawn genitalia.

"Seems like the rumors were true." Carric commented as he examined the statue. Kerri nodded.

"There is a bright side to this." Kerri pointed towards the vandalized statue.

"Oh?" Carric raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"They could have given him a micropenis." Kerri grinned sheepishly.

Carric's eyes flitted over to the drawn appendage. "I guess you're right. It does seem to be of normal size."

They heard a whistle behind them and saw Elaine standing by the cart. She waved them over.

"Find out where we're going?" Carric asked as they two of them reached the cart.

Elaine nodded and pointed at one of the streets. "That street takes us all the way."

"Then let's go." Carric untied the horses while the girls climbed into the cart. Instead of climbing in after them, Carric walked alongside the horses. They only traveled for about twenty minutes before they reached another checkpoint.

This checkpoint was different from the previous one. First of all, this one had a wall. Unlike the sturdy constructed walls of Silverbank or Lorbridge, this one seemed to have been made of a slabs of stone crudely sat side-by-side. As the trio drew closer to the wall, they could see that on either side of the road, pieces of wood and other debris were bunched up near the bottom of the wall. The opening of the wall was just that, an opening. A space of dead air where the wall just didn't continue. There didn't seem to be any form of a gate, just two guards with swords standing on either side of the opening.

"Halt." The closest guard said once the cart reached him. "State your business."

"We're headed towards the monastery." Carric reached into his pocket and pulled out the copper coin. "We've already been searched."

"That's good to know, but do you have permission to cross the wall?"

"Why do we need permission to cross a wall?" Kerri called out as she scrambled out of the cart and jogged up to stand next to Carric. Elaine stayed put.

The guard pointed behind him. "That's Tiefling territory. No one goes in or out with special permission."

"How do we get permission?" Carric asked with a big sigh.

"You make a formal request with the Servants of the Peace and await their decision."

"The Servants of the what?" Kerri repeated.

The guard turned and faced her. "The Servants of the Peace. It is the official name of the town guard and military forces for Esterwill."

"Listen, we have friends waiting for us at the monastery. Is there any way you can deliver a message for us to them?"

The guard rubbed his chin as he thought about Carric's request. As he did, a familiar voice floated over from the other side of the wall.

"You've seen me cross this barrier four times already this week, and countless times last week. I highly doubt that you actually need to see my credentials." Carric and Kerri both leaned and peered behind the guard. Standing on the other side, arms crossed, and looking very annoyed, was Ander.

"Ander, you know its procedure. Just show us your coin, and we'll let you go." One of the guards said with a heavy sigh.

The Halfling glared for another half a beat before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver coin. The guards stepped aside without another word and waved him through. Angrily Ander replaced the coin in his pocket and started walking, grumbling under his breath. He was so engrossed in his muttering that he walked right by Carric and Kerri.

"Hey Ander!" Carric called out. Ander stopped and turned back. His eyes widened as he finally saw the three of them.

"Oh, you did show up."

"Of course we did." Kerri bounded over, knelt, and gave Ander a hug. He awkwardly returned it.

"You guys took so long that we were beginning to worry you'd reneged on the deal."

"We just got hung up in Silverbank is all." Kerri stood back up. "Are we the last to arrive?"

Ander nodded. "The lovebirds got here a few days ago."

"You mean Iados and Lia?" Carric tried to keep the grin off his face. Ander nodded.

Kerri opened her mouth to say something, but Ander held up a finger to stop her. He took a couple of steps back towards the wall.

"Jerali, send word to Jun that the last of our party's arrived."

The guard who'd stopped the cart nodded and jogged through the wall into Tiefling territory.

Ander turned back towards his group. "While we wait for Jun to get you guy's permission to pass through, I sure could use some help."

"What's the job?" Elaine asked.

"Shopping."

The four of them loaded up in the cart and spent the next couple of hours traveling to different parts of the city. It seemed that this was a regular chore of Ander's as all the store owners recognized him on sight. Some of them, like the grain merchant, had his order ready for him.

The sun was starting to set by the time they made their way back to the wall with a heavy-laden cart. Ander had filled it with grains, heavy clothing and cloth, candles, and two large wooden crates. The crates had been picked up at a Circle Chapter House in town and Ander hadn't said what they were filled with.

Jun sat with the guard's playing cards as the cart rolled up.

He grinned broadly as he passed out silver coins to the three newcomers, and then led the way through the wall.

"We were beginning to think you weren't gonna show." Jun teased as headed deeper into Tiefling Territory.

The streets here were covered in snow several inches thick. Many of the buildings windows had been shattered and rude messages were smeared across them. On the other side of the wall it'd been quiet, but there had still been a general buzz of humanity as you wandered the streets. Here, it was silent. Occasionally a shadow could be seen behind a window, but the only sounds readily apparent were their footsteps as they trudged through the snow. There was a general stench of neglect in this part of the city that the more well-kept areas didn't have.

They walked for another thirty minutes, until finally they reached the end of the road.

A large metallic gate stood barring the way. Stretching out from the gate was another wall. This one was easily ten feet high and made of white marble. Crenellations peppered the top every few feet.

Jun walked up and banged on the gate, a rhythmic knock that was obviously a password. The gates barely clanged as they opened outward, just enough for the cart to pass through.

Inside, it was a whole other world. Whereas outside the gates it was like a nightmare, inside was more dreamland wonderland.

A garden dotted by a slow-moving stream captured the attention as the paved path curved around numerous flower gardens. Groups of Tieflings milled around the inside. Some worked on the flowerbeds, prepping them for the still coming frosts, while others lounged, talking. Children ran by in groups, large smiles plastered on their faces. Jun led the way to a large two-story structure situated in the middle of the compound. Tucked deeper into the garden around the structure, numerous tents and fire pits had been constructed.

"Why is everyone here instead of the buildings outside?" Kerri sat in the cart as she took in the scene around her.

"It's safer here. No one dares mess with the monastery." Jun scooped up a ball that one of the children had thrown too far. With a smile he tossed it back. "Besides, a lot of these people don't live on this side of the wall. Their homes are on the other side, but they're forbidden from going back."

"So the city just rounded up all the Tieflings in town and stuck them behind a wall?" Carric was becoming pissed very quickly.

"Pretty much. It's not as bad as it sounds, they're actually safer now than before." A group of older Tieflings approached the group and Ander left to speak with them. Jun turned to the others. "Leave the cart here, it'll be safe. Lia and Iados are inside waiting."

Elaine and Kerri hopped out of the cart and they all followed Jun inside the gleaming white structure. A large wooden porch surrounded the building, where groups of people, not all of them Tieflings, sat pounding vegetation into bowls. Each bowl had a different color being mixed inside of it.

People of all races (though mainly human from what Carric could see) were all dressed in the long tunic and loose pants style that one of the figures from the fountain was dressed in. They wore a variety of colors, mostly sticking to the more neutral side of the color wheel.

Jun led the way to a large open room with a sunken pit in the center while Ander scampered off down a hall. A small fire blazed in a pit that was surrounded by pillowy couches. Sitting on one of them was Lia and Iados. Lia was wearing one of the long sleeveless tunics with shorts. Her right arm was wrapped in bandages from her hand to up to the shoulder. Iados sat with his head in her lap, a cold compress covering the left side of his face.

"What happened to you two?" Carric asked as they walked into the pit.

"The monks decided I have been lapse in my training." Iados whined. "They've spent the past couple of days correcting that."

"And you?" Elaine stood over Lia and reached for her bandaged arm.

"Oh I'm not hurt." Lia smiled and undid the bandages at her shoulder. She unveiled a still-red tattoo of what looked like ivy. "It spirals down my arm and ends around my wrist. I meant to have it healed up by now, but it took longer than originally intended to apply it and someone kept using up my healing spells."

"You're the one that decided to get a fairly large tattoo. I'm just the one that volunteered to cover your scout duties while it was hammered into you. Not my fault we kept running into those stupid goblins." The compress slipped as Iados talked, revealing a large dark bruise on the side of his face.

Ander rejoined the party. He carried several bottles of ale in his hands. Children bearing plates of meat and fruit trailed along behind him.

"So," Lia turned towards the latecomers as she took a cup from Jun. "Are you going to tell us why you were late?"

Over the next few hours they all took turns regaling themselves, and the room at large, of their adventures from the past few months. There was a collective gasp at Iados's tale of the Water Elemental, but when pressed for more info on why it attacked, he merely said that he wasn't drunk enough.

Another favored tale of the evening, was Carric and Elaine's portrayal of Kerri and Maron's reunion, and its saddened end. The only tale that topped it, was Jun's recount of his fight against the Barbarians. Ander tried to add some details of his own, but Jun's exaggerated account of the battle made the Halfling's contributions unnecessary. It was this story that really entertained the room at large.

Later into the evening, when the room had emptied and it was only the seven of them left, the story of _The Howling King's_ final treasure hunt did come to life, as did the truth of Prince Maron's demise.

There were some parts that weren't shared that night. Kerri's mark never came up, and the only thing Lia or Iados offered up about the Elder Door Sanctum or her Uncle, was that she'd sent a letter that simply said she quit.

In truth, the letter said that she quit more than just the job, but Lia didn't want to go into all the other details just yet.

Finally, sleep became too hard to ignore. With drink and exhaustion clouding their minds, they all simply spread out upon the couches and let the crackle of the fire lull them away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Finally the gang is back together! I hope you all enjoyed it. Drop me a line on how I'm doing, and I hope everyone looks forward to what kind of mischief our group gets into next time.
> 
> Till next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of the races, classes, lore, spells, or mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition from Wizards of the Coast. This is a fanfiction story based in a personal world with original characters. No money is being made from this work. This is for pure amusement due to my fascination with D&D mechanics.


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